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‘Spermageddon’: is the world facing a male reproductive crisis?
Reports of falling sperm counts and testosterone levels have fuelled fears over chemicals, pollution and modern lifestyles. But how much do scientists agree on what is affecting male fertility?
Populist politicians on the right and left take a page out of Donald Trump’s playbook
The world’s modern populists are discovering a common trait that seems to serve them more than the voters they claim to champion.
Physicists finally build a quantum material predicted more than a decade ago
Researchers have achieved a major milestone by creating a long-sought two-dimensional quantum material and confirming its unusual conducting edge states. The ability to control these states through strain could make the material a promising platform for future room-temperature quantum electronics.
Political expert says Platner’s exit unprecedented in modern Maine politics
University of Southern Maine political science professor Ron Schmidt says he has never seen a U.S. Senate candidate in Maine withdraw this close to Election Day. He compared the Graham Platner situation to the 2024 presidential race, when…
VA taps familiar face as acting health secretary overseeing EHR work
Days after John Bartrum’s exit, John Figueroa takes up the reins of the agency charged with modernizing veteran health records for a second time.
Guest Post: The Cognitive Center of Gravity: Why the AI Entertainment Debate is a National Security Imperative
Success in modern conflicts does not necessarily go to the side with the better warfighting, per se, but may go to the one that most quickly produces and proliferates a convincing narrative support…
MAGA's attack on science is even worse than it looks
In my post on America’s 250-year anniversary, I argued that respect for the individual was the “secret sauce” in the U.S.’ long-lasting preeminence among nations. But it was certainly not the only factor. There were plenty of institutional innovations that helped the U.S. stay on top — economically, militarily, and in terms of the attractiveness of its society. One of these was American science. Today we take things like the modern research university, government grants for science, public-to-private research spinoffs, etc. for granted, but a lot of that infrastructure wasn’t there before World War 2. It was either invented or scaled up massively by the U.S. government in the postwar period, led by far-sighted scientist-bureaucrats like Vannevar Bush (pictured above). If you want to read about this history, a good place to start would be Jonathan Gruber and Simon Johnson’s excellent book Jump-Starting America. Those scientific institutions didn’t exist in a vacuum, however. They were backed by the U.S. government’s abiding faith in the power of science — and, even more fundamentally, by deep popular trust in the scientific enterprise. Science gave us radar and the atom bomb in wartime, and in peacetime it gave us plastics, vaccines, cheap food, and a thousand other things that made our lives easier. Science was also the driver behind American industry — chemicals, aerospace, telecommunications, computers, electronics, and so on. We owed science our jobs, our livelihoods, our comfortable living standards, and our greatness and power as a nation. It’s little wonder that both political parties, even as they fought viciously over other issues, were steadfast in their support of science. For a long time, the only people who distrusted science were a hippie fringe on the left who disliked modernity (or thought they did, anyway), who also disliked American industry and American power, and who subscribed to an early version of degrowth environmentalism. America’s scientific enterprise is still strong, especially compared to the systems in Europe, Japan, Korea, and other developed countries. It has lost a lot of ground to China in a relative sense, but a lot of that is because of China’s incredible growth; as China has poured untold amounts of money and talent into its research labs, spending and output have overtaken the U.S. by some measures. There are a few ways in which China’s rise creates problems for American science — for example, top scientists can choose to work in China instead of in the U.S. — and of course there’s the concern that China’s technological strength will help its military to reign supreme. But overall, China’s rise in science should be good for American science, since American scientists can use Chinese discoveries for free and build on them. The much bigger problem is that the scientific enterprise America built during and after World War 2 is now being threatened with absolute decline. The biggest problem, of course, is that much of the country — the Republican half — has basically lost faith in the scientific enterprise. To what degree this loss of faith is justified is an open question, and deserves to be discussed openly. But the larger point — that the system that powered American dominance is under threat — is true either way. Most Americans still trust science, but MAGA Republicans don’t There’s a myth, popular in right-wing circles, that scientists have lost the trust of regular Americans — either due to the increasingly left-wing composition of academic departments, or to misbehavior during Covid, or to DEI-related research taking over science, etc. This also fits with a wider narrative that Americans are losing trust in all of our institutions. But it just isn’t true. Poll after poll shows that on the whole, Americans still trust scientists and want to spend more on science. For example, here’s a Pew poll from late 2025 showing that although about a fifth of Republicans did lose confidence in science in 2020, two thirds still have at least “a fair amount” of confidence: That same poll found that scientists are among America’s most trusted groups — even better trusted than the military! In fact, Americans trust scientists more than people in most other countries do. Other polls show that although Republican trust in science has dropped somewhat, Republican support for spending more on science remains very strong: A Pew poll in 2023 found the exact same thing: So when MAGA types tell you about scientists losing their credibility, or a drop in trust in science, they’re only talking about themselves. Whatever left-wing politicization of science happened during the Biden administration — and there was definitely some of that — it was not enough to make most Republicans lose faith in the scientific enterprise, or favor research cuts in order to purge unwanted ideology from the system. That doesn’t mean I think progressives should continue down the path of politicizing scientific research. They should not, and Biden made real missteps in this area. Objectivity clearly matters for public trust of science in the long term. But as of right now, there’s no crisis of trust in science, except among the smallish minority of people who are running around screaming that there’s a crisis of trust in science. But despite science’s overwhelming popularity and public trust, Trump and his administration are launching an unprecedented and devastating attack on American science — cutting funding, and forcing science projects to undergo ideological review by government commissars. Trump’s comprehensive attack on science
Ag Progress Days showcases college research, AI tool and animal health updates
Visitors to the College of Agricultural Sciences Exhibits Building during Penn State’s 2026 Ag Progress Days, Aug. 11-13, will have the chance to learn more about the college’s cutting-edge research driving innovation in modern agriculture.
Ferris State College of Health Professions leaders say building renovation, expansion will help meet demand, grow healthcare workforce
Ferris State University leaders are taking the first steps to plan for extensive renovations to the Victor F. Spathelf Center for Allied Health, modernizing and expanding programs that train the next generations of health professionals and address statewide shortages.
Politics Chat, July 9, 2026
In which I try to answer your questions about modern politics....
Political expert says Platner exit is unprecedented in modern Maine politics
Political science professor Dr. Ron Schmidt has followed Maine politics since the 1990s.
"We really squeezed the PS5 as much as we could": Ubisoft talks tech on Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced
How a 13-year-old game becomes a modern graphical showcase.
Managing water with local wisdom and science
In Asakura, the river follows the past. Long before modern science, villagers reshaped the land. Researchers are now learning how those systems still work, collaborating with local communities to manage rivers and prevent disasters while preserving biodiversity.
Yahoo Sports introduces a new era with College Fantasy Football: Sign up and get ready to play!
Yahoo College Fantasy Football is uniquely built for the modern college game and the millions of people who live for Saturdays in the fall.
EA SPORTS™ College Football 27 Launches Worldwide, Bringing New Era of College Football to Life
Do it For U with 138 Ways to Play in Dynasty Mode, Experience NIL and Build Your Legacy In Road to Glory Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) today launched EA SPORTS™ College Football 27 worldwide on PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S and, for the first time ever, PC and mobile. Following the record-breaking return of the franchise, College Football 27 raises the bar once again, delivering the most authentic college football experience yet. College Football 27 captures real world elements that impact gameday like never before. College Football 27 is the definitive modern college football experience. Every major change happening in the sport — from NIL and coaching movement to recruiting, player development and game day — is now reflected in the game at unprecedented scale. Built around the current college football landscape, College Football 27 introduces the biggest changes to Dynasty Mode since the game's introduction, including all-new dynamic weather, expanded Road to Glory positions
Business travellers are carrying the office everywhere they go, according to Holafly for Business's latest research
Corporate eSIMs for Business Travel Holafly A modern professional stays securely connected on the go. According to Holafly for Business, 81.3% of travellers report a positive impact on productivity when using a corporate eSIM. Today, business travel is about carrying your entire working environment with you. DUBLIN, July 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The modern business trip looks very different from the one most companies designed their travel policies around. Airports have become workspaces, ho
How To Win on TikTok Shop
As beauty brands rethink distribution, TikTok Shop is becoming an increasingly important piece of the puzzle. On the final morning of The Business of Beauty Global Forum, TikTok Shop’s Ajay Salpekar and BoF’s Yasmine Dahlberg joined BoF’s Shenel Wickramaratne to discuss where the platform fits within a modern channel strategy.
Joint Society Editorial Calls For Science-Based Approach to CV Health Equity
A joint editorial on behalf of the ACC, American Heart Association, European Society of Cardiology and World Heart Federation calls for a new era of equity-centered cardiovascular care designed to redefine prevention, optimize care delivery and ensure that all patients worldwide benefit equally from the promise of modern cardiovascular medicine.
VNA Health Group Announces Planned Retirement of Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer Kevin Rogers, CPA
NEPTUNE, NJ (July 8, 2026) – After more than two decades of service across two tenures with VNA Health Group and a distinguished career spanning more than 35 years in home-based healthcare, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer Kevin Rogers, CPA, has announced his plans to retire from his full-time leadership role at the[...]
Seven's first entertainment destination to open in Abha
Seven is investing SAR 50 billion ($13bn) in the development of 21 entertainment destinations
Ferris State University to modernize Allied Health Sciences Building for health workers
LPS board hears plan to modernize school playgrounds and sports facilities
Lincoln Public Schools (LPS) has unveiled a plan to transform outdoor spaces as well as district athletic and activity facilities at multiple schools across the city.
SF: Chinatown Health Center Begins $71 Mil Seismic Retrofit
Perched atop the Broadway Tunnel in San Francisco, the historic Chinatown Public Health Center will undergo a long-awaited seismic retrofit and modern upgrade to continue serving Chinatown's...
Explaining The Comcast and NBCUniversal Divorce
(Welcome to the “Most Important Story of the Week”, my bi-weekly strategy column analyzing the most important (but often not buzziest) news story of the last two weeks. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. Please subscribe.) I hope everyone had a happy Fourth of July in America, celebrating the country’s 250th birthday. Frankly, I am bummed the 250th wasn’t a bigger celebration, but that’s a different topic for a different Substack. While it was generally a quiet week on the entertainment/streaming/media business fronts, we still had some interesting news stories. Actually, that kinda undersells one of the stories, a huge, huge, huge divestment that could upend the entertainment landscape... So let’s get right to it. In today’s column, I’ll cover Comcast spinning off the rest of NBCUniversal, an entertainment company investing in an LLM company and an LLM-owner investing in a movie studio, the latest round of threats of digital tariffs, and more. Let’s dive in. Subscribe Most Important Story of the Week - Most: Comcast/NBCU Breakup!!!! If I had to describe my reaction to Comcast spinning out NBCUniversal, it feels like a relationship ending, either breaking up or divorcing. Comcast’s decision to spin off the rest of NBCUniversal, after spinning off some of its cable assets into Versant last year, really does feel like a family breaking up under “irreconcilable differences”. Of my stereotypes of the entertainment moguls, my go-to for Comcast CEO Brian Roberts—heir to the Comcast fortune, but a man who’s been at the helm for 24 years now, and president for twelve years before that—is that he likes building empires. He cut his teeth acquiring cable rivals in the 1990s and tried to buy Disney repeatedly, then settled for NBCUniversal after a long court battle. (Contrast this with Rupert Murdoch, a man who also loved to buy, but would also sell when the price is right. Murdoch made Fox out of nothing, but then sold 20th Century Fox to Disney, arguably at the top of the market. So I understood why he sold.) But I don’t understand Roberts’ motivation to sell now. I have some explanations but no single, super-satisfying explanation. Strategically, it would just make more sense to have kept NBCUniversal in-house, especially for a one-time empire builder like Comcast. Yet one powerful force—arguably the decider in modern capitalism—likely overwhelmed all other considerations. At first, I thought I’d arrange my thoughts as a “Five Why” analysis, digging through each layer of the puzzle. But instead, I found myself asking, “But…why?” (And I only ended up with four sections.) So let’s look at Comcast from that angle. Then, at the end, I’ll give my biggest strategic recommendation for every company in Hollywood. It’s obvious, but sometimes, the obvious strategy is the most ignored. But…Why? The Stock Market, Conglomerations, and Sum of the Parts Analysis We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… Why Comcast could never get a “tech company” valuation The not-so-secret motivation for Comcast What Versant has to do with all of this The key strategic advice I think every entertainment exec should follow (though it’s really obvious) Some big AI investment news… Whether we’ll see digital tariffs… And more… ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support.
First look: Google Translate is finally prepping the modern makeover it deserves
Google appears to be testing a major redesign for the Google Translate app on Android, complete with a modern home screen layout.
UMass Lowell business students help an endangered species: Duckpin bowling
UMass Lowell business students in the Manning School’s Mill City Consulting course helped modernize North Chelmsford Lanes, one of only two remaining duckpin bowling alleys in Massachusetts, while preserving the qualities that have made it …
Neanderthals and modern humans may have shared culture 59,000 years ago in Turkey, study finds
Fossils, stone tools and seashells in Turkey show that Neanderthals and the Homo sapiens who moved in later had the same hunting strategies and symbolic traditions even without overlapping at the site, suggesting they may have shared information.
Oscar Health's Mark Bertolini on making 'healthcare work for all'
A former CEO of Aetna and Bridgewater (and current chairman of the board of Verizon) brings his leadership philosophy to a challenger brand.
This rural Colorado hospital is using AI to go after health insurers that ghosted payments. Here’s how.
The promise of modern AI to help Spanish Peaks Regional Health Center recover lost revenues is built on a system that keeps medical data private.
Northwestern summer program helps high school students REACH for science and art education
In just three weeks, a Northwestern summer program introduces high school students to astronomy, art and coding. The Research Experiences in Astronomy at CIERA for High School Students program trains students to become modern researchers, teaching them how to code and analyze data, according to REACH director James Schottelkotte. The program is running two three-week...
Ukraine recovery: International Coalition for Science, Research and Innovation signs Gdansk Declaration
On 26 June, the first-ever High-level Steering Committee of the International Coalition for Science, Research and Innovation in Ukraine signed the Gdansk Declaration during the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Poland. The Declaration outlines a shared ambition to support Ukraine in increasing its research and development investment to 3% of the GDP following the end of Russia’s full-scale war of aggression. This is in line with the European Research Area target. It also outlines various activities that Coalition members can implement to achieve this objective. The Declaration further provides a strategic framework for the Coalition’s work to support Ukraine’s modern and
Modern-day filibuster has become a 'tool of obstruction,' Trump senior political advisor says
Trump senior political advisor James Blair discusses Republicans weighing changes to the filibuster to pass the SAVE America Act on ‘Sunday Night in America.’
AI in Mental Health: Why Clinicians Need to Be in the Room
As clinicians, we learn not to be agreeable, we learn to challenge and sit in discomfort. We ask the hard questions underneath the one being asked. That is the work these tools are not yet built to do.
Fossil teeth smaller than a nail may rewrite human origin stories - Futura-Sciences
A shrew sized primate ancestor Purgatorius first appears in the fossil record around 65.9 million years ago. This timeline places the animal just after the Cretaceous-Paleogene asteroid impact that eliminated non-avian dinosaurs. The creature was a small, tree-dwelling mammal about the size of a modern shrew. Scientists classify it as...
5,000-year-old wolves found on remote island rewrite what we know about domestication
Scientists discovered ancient wolves on a tiny Baltic island where they could only have been brought by humans, suggesting an unexpectedly close relationship between people and wolves thousands of years ago. Evidence indicates the wolves were fed, possibly cared for, and may even have been managed or selectively bred long before modern ideas of domestication.
Ariel Roblin: DACA delays are disrupting lives and business
Our government needs to modernize the system to process DACA reauthorizations and hire the staff to address processing delays. No one should lose their livelihood, critical employees, or their homes, over slow paperwork.
$28.5M modernization project planned at San Juan High School
Demolition and construction are taking place this summer at San Juan High School as part of a science wing and campus-wide modernization project, San Juan Unified School District officials say...
From bamboo sticks to modern chemistry: A history of fireworks on display at the Science History Institute in Old City
“Flash! Bang! Boom! A History of Fireworks” tells the story of fireworks from the earliest Chinese inventions to today’s choreographed pyrotechnic displays.
AMERICA AT 250: COMPETING CELEBRATIONS REFLECT NATIONAL POLARIZATION, SAYS SMU POLITICS EXPERT
DALLAS (SMU) – As the nation marks its 250th anniversary with separate celebrations in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles, SMU political scientist Matthew Wilson says the split reflects a deeper reality about modern America: the absence of a shared national narrative. Wilson argues that what should have been a unifying moment of national pride has instead become a symbol of the country's growing political polarization, with rival groups promoting fundamentally different visions of Amer
Step Into the Modern Era in EA SPORTS College Football 27 with EA Play
It's time to take the gridiron in EA SPORTS College Football 27. Get game-day ready with an EA Play 10-hour early access trial.
New Jersey Business Magazine Celebrates America's 250th Birthday, NJ's Contributions
This special July edition of New Jersey Business Magazine celebrates America’s 250th birthday with an array of feature stories highlighting the state’s top industries. The magazine, which is powered by NJBIA and is the Garden State’s longest standing business publication dating back to 1954, explores the historical significance of these industries and how they complement the nation’s semiquincentennial birthday. “We approached this issue as[...]
The Business Model of Colleges Is Broken. It’s About to Get Worse
Declining enrollment and Trump’s policies are “breaking the business model that built the modern higher education system,” writes Jeffrey Selingo.
Trump’s wealth grew on a scale without modern presidential precedent
President Trump's income has increased in office on a scale not seen by any past president — not even Trump.
VA health secretary quits less than a year into tenure
John Bartrum, who led the Veterans Health Administration’s rollout of electronic health record modernization, said he is leaving public service.
PlayStation Plus July 2026 free games lineup announced, including Modern Warfare 3
Play a recent Call of Duty for free before Modern Warfare 4 drops this fall
July’s three PlayStation Plus ‘free’ Essential monthly games include Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3
There are three games available for subscribers to claim this month…
Sony will cease production of discs for new PlayStation games in 2028
New games sold for PlayStation consoles will only be available digitally and won’t be sold on discs effective January 2028, Sony has announced. The move applies to all PlayStation games released from that point on, including those made by Sony and those released by third parties. The PlayStation group calls the change “a natural direction for Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt to consumer trends as the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs,” according to a PlayStation blog post reviewed by Game File in advance of its publication. As movies, TV and music have shifted from physical media to an age of downloads and streaming, Sony’s move could speed the demise of physical media in a gaming. The industry has offered consumers games via cartridges, cassettes, floppy discs, CDs, DVDs and Blu-Rays across a 50-year stretch. Sony has been reporting to investors in recent years that PlayStation games have been increasingly purchased as downloads, not as discs. The most recent figures show nearly four in five purchases of full games for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 were purchased digitally in the past year. Stats like that may cause today’s news to carry an air of the inevitable. But Sony’s declaration for 2028 is still likely to produce a shock, as the biggest gaming platform on the planet that uses game discs leaves them behind. Discs going away, but the fate of game boxes is unknown Sony is committing to still selling games in physical retailers even after they drop discs in 2028. Just how those games will be sold—in boxes with codes inside, as cards marked with digital redemption codes—is unclear. Digital games will also continue to be sold in the online PlayStation Store. New games released for PlayStation consoles prior to January 2028 will be unaffected by the policy change, Sony says. That means the PS5 games of 2027, be they a new Madden, a new God of War, a new Call of Duty, a new Sly Cooper (one can dream?), would still potentially be offered on disc. PlayStation 6 implications Sony’s timeline for a transition to a no-disc era will also spin up more speculation about the timing and configuration of Sony’s next-generation console, the probable PlayStation 6. “This pretty much guarantees that PS6 won’t arrive until 2028 at the earliest,” Piers Harding-Rolls, senior games research analyst at Ampere Analysis tells Game File. Harding-Rolls also concludes from today’s news that “the base version of a PS6 will not include a physical media drive,” as Sony looks to keep costs down on the device. Sony itself is saying nothing about the PS6 today: not its timing, nor how it might or might not support internal or external disc drives in order to run disc-based PS4 and PS5 games, should the console be backwards compatible. The many signs this was coming Industry support for games being released on physical media has been waning. As has consumer interest in them. PC games effectively went all-digital years ago, thanks to the popularity of playing games through Steam and other digital storefronts. The Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdowns that kept much of the global population home helped shift shopping patterns toward downloads. Sony’s own data shows PlayStation game downloads being an uncommon consumer choice a decade ago and now becoming the norm. On consoles, physical media has been in such decline that Sony and Microsoft both launched their current gen Xbox Series and PS5 consoles in 2020 with cheaper versions that lacked disc drives. In early 2024, Phil Spencer, then head of Xbox, told me that ““[w]e ship games physically and digitally, and we’re really just following what the customers are doing.” He added that the game industry had become an outlier in still supporting disc-based entertainment, even as movies and TV have bailed on discs in favor of downloads and steaming: “Gaming consoles themselves have kind of become the last consumer electronic device that has a drive. And this is a real issue, just in terms of the number of manufacturers that are actually building drives and the cost associated with those. And when you think about cogs that we’re going to go put in a console—and as you have fewer suppliers and fewer buyers—the cost of the drive does have an impact.” Last year, the Nintendo’s Switch 2, which uses cartridges rather than discs, introduced the concept of game-key cards, which are physical media that contain no game, just a prompt for a download. Even disc-based games aren’t what they once were, now frequently containing just stubs of games rather than the whole thing. The website Does It Play has tested over 3000 games and found that, for example, that the disc version of this year’s hit 007: First Light, only contained the game’s first mission, with the rest needing to be downloaded. Beyond all that, last week brought the news that Grand Theft Auto VI, likely the biggest game launch this decade, will debut for PS5 and Xbox Series without a disc-based version. Today’s big news comes to you for free. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and ensure more of my work is possible, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Discs helped define PlayStation However the trends in entertainment may be going, it is still remarkable to see PlayStation ditch discs given their importance in PlayStation history: In the late 1990s, the first PlayStation’s support for games on relatively cheap CD-ROMs instead of traditional game cartridges allowed the upstart console to outmaneuver cartridge-based systems from Nintendo and Sega, as it drove down game prices down in the process. (The cheaper disc format even prompted Final Fantasy VII maker Square to taunt Nintendo in a magazine ad, saying that if the game was “available on cartridge, it’d retail for around $1200.”) PlayStation devices often doubled as machines for watching movies and TV on the latest disc-based formats. In the late 2000s, for example, Sony’s pricy PS3 gained traction as a go-to device for playing then-novel Blu-Ray discs. In 2013, Sony effectively roasted the digital game-sharing restrictions proposed by rival Microsoft for its upcoming Xbox One console by showing how games could be shared for the then-upcoming PS4. In a 21-second clip that has over 20 million views on YouTube, one PlayStation executive simply handed a game box—presumably with disc inside—to another, who said “thanks.” Sony’s possible motivations The PlayStation announcement today cites “consumer preferences” and a shift away from discs among “the broader entertainment industry,” but does not delve into the decision-making process that brought Sony to this point. Sony is not discussing the economics of this move (I asked!), but there are a number of potential factors: Abandoning discs will spare Sony the cost of manufacturing and shipping them, which analysts and industry veterans I spoke to said could account for $1 or so of a game’s retail price. For first-party games, that’s direct savings for Sony, though the amount is limited by the winnowing percentage of people who were even buying the disc-based versions. For third-party games, Sony could pass the savings on to partners or just retain the better profit margin for themselves. As the 2024 comments from Phil Spencer alluded to, leaving discs behind could mean leaving disc-drives behind, allowing Sony to produce consoles more cheaply. Switching to digital-only for games could diminish the risks of copies of new games leaking. It would also seemingly make second-hand sales of used games impossible, pushing more people to buy their own copies of games. These economic benefits for Sony could be boons for the games industry overall, Ampere analyst Piers Harding-Rolls tells Game File. Among other things, it could free publishers and retailers from having to worry about securing an inventory of game discs when trying to sell games, he noted. “If there is a way to streamline the business of games retail, I generally think it’s a good thing for the industry as it removes unnecessary costs,” Harding-Rolls said. “This will help offset pressure on margins from other directions – development and staffing costs for example.” Should the industry shift from game boxes that contain discs to smaller, cheaper game cards, Harding-Rolls said, that reduces pressure on publishers and retailers. “The advantage of everything going digital for the industry is that sales can be tracked much more easily and there is less commercial risk for publishers wanting to continue selling via retail,” he said. The shift to no discs will also likely impact game development timelines, as developers will no longer face the same urgency to have a build ready to submit to PlayStation for the production of a disc, as industry experts noted around GTA VI’s no-disc news last week. Instead, projects may gain weeks of development time, in the event delivery deadlines for platform approval move closer to release date. Preservationists’ likely worries While millions of gamers have shifted to digital, there are still people who associate game discs—and only game discs—with actual ownership of PlayStation games. That portion of the gaming community spoke up last week about wanting to buy a version of GTA VI that they could hold in their hands, could lend to a friend and could potentially pop into a well-preserved PS5 console three decades from now and still see it run. Such gamers didn’t want to worry that they’d merely purchased a digital copy that could lose access to the game if, say, the company behind the game someday turns of the servers that transmit downloadable copies. Digital copies of games are inherently less long-lasting, because consumers aren’t actually buying a game (on a disc), just buying access to the game. The fine print in online gaming shops notes this, as does a recent law that went on the books in California in 2025. That lasw requires game publishers doing business in the state to refrain from words like “sell” when offering digital copies of games, unless they explicitly tell consumers that what’s being sold isn’t the game itself but a potentially revocable license to access it. A Sony spokesperson noted to Game File that “[w]ith all digital content, including games, movies, and music, players are purchasing a personal license for non-commercial use.” Regarding the fears of PlayStation games being lost to time in an all-digital era, the rep also noted that Sony remains “committed to delivering experiences from past generations to the new platforms our players are using.” They noted that PlayStation has used emulation and remasters to keep offering its classic games to modern gamers. It’s true that many consumers have become accustomed to not having physical copies of new music albums or movies, but the relative precariousness of digital copies of games is in fact being highlighted today by…. Sony’s other big announcement: the upcoming closure of the PS3 and PS Vita online stores Sony said today that it will be closing the online marketplaces for its PlayStation 3 console and PS Vita handheld in most countries in July 2027 (sooner elsewhere: August 2026 for the PS3 store Mexico, Honduras and Nicaragua; late 2026 for PS3 in other Latin American countries and the Middle East). “We know this news may be disappointing to PS3 and PS Vita players who hold a special place in their hearts for this generation of gaming,” Sony said in its announcement, saying the move “was not an easy decision for us to make.” Sony said that PS3 and Vita marketplaces “are no longer able” to support modern commerce systems, prompting a “need” to close the shops and focus on more modern PlayStation platform stores. The news may spark some deja vu. Sony announced back in March 2021 that it planned to take the PS3, Vita and PlayStation Portable marketplaces offline that summer. The move would have caused some 2,000 digital-only games to become unavailable for new purchasers, according to a VGC analysis at the time. Fans complained loudly. By April 2021, Sony walked back the PS3 and Vita shop closures, with then PlayStation boss Jim Ryan saying “it’s clear that we made the wrong decision here.” This time around, Sony is giving a longer notice period in most regions. The closure of those stores is still likely to cut off access to new purchases of digital-only PS3 and Vita games. The current PlayStation 5 marketplace sells PS5 and PS4 games, as well as a selection of PS1 and PS2 games. It does not sell PS3 games, because games for that platform can’t run on the system (some are offered via a PlayStation Plus streaming option). Vita games also aren’t sold via PS5. Sony says digitally purchased PS3 and Vita games will be downloadable after the stores’ shutdowns “for the foreseeable future.” Sony’s move contrasts with Microsoft’s Xbox platform, which continues to sell and support games from all four Xbox console generations. But it puts it in line with Nintendo, which disabled purchases in the marketplace for its Wii console (a contemporary of the PS3) in 2019. Nintendo discontinued purchases in the online shop for its 3DS portable (a contemporary of the Vita) in 2023. The big questions about Sony’s 2028 post-disc era Will Microsoft follow suit, ending support for new disc-based games on Xbox platforms and therefore all game consoles, too? Whether Microsoft does or not, will third-parties that can no longer release games on discs for PlayStation, simply ditch the disc options across the board? Given the GTA VI no-disc experiment launching this November, will more game publishers decide to forgo disc-based offerings even in 2027? How will no-disc PS5/6 games be packaged and sold in brick-and-mortar retail stores? What becomes of game sharing in an all-digital era? Will Sony modify its current set-up, which currently allows some sharing of digital games across a pair of consoles, to allow more casual lending? (See for example, Nintendo’s year-old system of letting players lend a digital game to another player in a “family group” for up to 14 days.) Will there be a version of a PS6 with a disc drive? Or will a drive be offered as an add-on? And how will gamers who want to retain access to PS4/PS5 disc-based games react to whichever configurations Sony chooses to offer? What will the final disc-based PlayStation game be?
NJBIA to Honor Kim Guadagno with Caren Franzini Leadership Award at NJ Women Business Leaders Forum
Kim Guadagno, a trailblazer who served as New Jersey’s first Lieutenant Governor and later continued her public service in nonprofit leadership, will be honored with the Caren Franzini Leadership Award at the 12th Annual Women Business Leaders Forum, powered by Citizens and presented by NJBIA, on Sept. 23 and 24 in Atlantic City. The Women[...]
Clicks shows off its BlackBerry-inspired phone in a new hands-on video
A new video shows the final production version of the upcoming Clicks Communicator, a BlackBerry-like smartphone that runs modern apps.
Google pulls the plug on Tenor API, killing GIF pickers around the web
GIFs are a huge part of the modern web, with Tenor being one of the libraries that powers a variety...
Leading Colorado toward modern mental health solutions
By Sean Camacho America is facing a silent crisis. Millions of Americans are living with invisible illnesses like generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which decrease quality of life and, amid limited treatment options, create a vicious cycle of endless medications and, for many people, hopeless therapies. This […]
Science for Living: How acupuncture is earning its place in modern medicine
UMass Chan researchers discuss the growing evidence behind acupuncture’s role in modern integrative medicine and how it is helping to reduce chronic pain.
AI is rewriting the political competitive landscape
Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming a central infrastructure layer in political campaigns, reshaping how elections are financed, contested and influenced, The New York Times reports. Campaigns and affiliated political groups are increasingly investing in AI-driven tools for voter targeting, message optimization and large-scale content generation, turning modern elections into capital-intensive, technology-enabled competition. This shift is […]
Scientists find ozone depletion began decades before discovery of ozone hole
Ozone depletion began decades before discovery of ozone hole, MIT scientists have found. Using modern tools, they also determined that carbon tetrachloride, a common dry-cleaning and degreasing agent, was at the root of early ozone loss.
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Pre-Order Ad Reminds Everyone It's 'Not On Xbox Game Pass This Year'
The messaging mess is in full swing
Alleged Modern Warfare 4 ad uses ‘not on Xbox Game Pass’ as a selling point
This year’s Call of Duty will be the first to skip Game Pass since 2023…
Key Shohei Ohtani, LeBron James rookie cards sell for more than $2.5 million each
The cards of two of those best modern cards in their respective sports.
Viewpoint: The dangerous influence of ‘woke’ post-modernism in science
rom an article in Science magazine by journalist Rachael Zamzow, we learn that many social scientists believe that a published paper should
Something Is Very Wrong with Modern Longevity Science
A new book argues that many of the world’s oldest people aren’t so old after all.
PPDS Brings 'Limitless' TV Entertainment To Historic 5 Star Bellevue Syrene Hotel With Philips MediaSuite
PPDS, the exclusive global provider of Philips Professional Displays, has announced that its Philips MediaSuite TV range has been chosen to deliver seamless access to a virtually limitless world of | Delivering modern luxuries to the 18th century hotel in Sorrento, Philips MediaSuite TVs with cast built in are now bringing seamless access to millions of movies, TV shows, games, and streaming apps to guests at one of Italy's most prestigious and exquisite hospitality destinations.
Now your pet can get world-class healthcare. Here’s how.
Doubtless CEO Dirk Beeckman reveals how modern products and services are transforming the pet-parent experience
Resale boutique thrives amid tariffs
At Le Shoppe Modern in Keego Harbor, shoppers can browse art, vintage pottery, lamps, furniture and more at prices ranging from $50 to $500,000.
McArthur Center to prepare University of Rio Grande health care and manufacturing students
A facility at the University of Rio Grande has opened, offering new educational opportunities for students.The McArthur Center features nine modern classrooms a
Mountain lions changed everything in this tiny California preserve
A surprising ecological makeover unfolded when mountain lions began frequenting a small preserve south of San Francisco. Deer activity dropped, plants recovered, and shifts among predators like coyotes, bobcats, and foxes followed. The study shows that powerful “trophic cascades” aren’t limited to remote wilderness—they can happen in small, suburban preserves too.
Trump-endorsed candidates hold nearly perfect record in GOP primaries
No modern president wields party influence the way Donald Trump does, experts say, but it could be costly to his party in the 2026 midterms.
Hisense U7SG 4K TV: Modern Entertainment for the New Age
The Hisense U7SG 4K TV delivers stunning MiniLED visuals, 165Hz gaming performance, and Dolby Vision IQ for an immersive entertainment experience.
Moderna highlights expanding mRNA platform at Science Day
Moderna's Horizon programme contains a variety of mRNA assets in varying stages of development, including a preclinical in vivo candidate.
Sweden and WHO launch new long-term initiative to transform Ukraine’s health system
WHO and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) have launched a new multi-year cooperation project to support the long-term recovery and transformation of Ukraine’s health system. The new project, “Ukraine’s Health System Transformation Initiative: Strengthening Health Governance, Health Financing and Service Delivery for Long-Term Recovery”, was launched at the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026 in Gdansk, Poland on 26 June, and will run from June 2026 to 2029. Sweden will contribute approximately US$ 26 million (240 million Swedish krona) to support this project. This contribution forms part of Sweden’s broader support to Ukraine through the Team Europe approach, which brings together the European Union, its Member States, and key partners such as the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood and Enabel, and WHO as lead health agency, to support Ukraine’s recovery, reform agenda and European integration.“Ukraine’s health recovery cannot be measured only by what is rebuilt, but by whether people can count on the health system when they need it most. The scale of the task is immense, with health reconstruction and modernization needs estimated at US$ 19.4 billion over the next decade. Sweden’s US$ 26 million contribution to Ukraine’s Health System Transformation Initiative is a timely investment in the institutions, financing and services that will support Ukraine’s long-term recovery and European integration. WHO remains a trusted partner of the Government of Ukraine in advancing this process. I am deeply grateful to Sweden for its consistent support and partnership,” said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe. More than 4 years of war have placed unprecedented pressure on Ukraine’s health system, creating 3 interconnected challenges. The first is responding to the immediate consequences of the war and the urgent health needs of the population. The second is recovering and modernizing health services today. The third is continuing reforms and aligning the health system with European standards in the context of Ukraine’s future accession to the European Union. The war has led to large-scale population displacement, an increasing need for trauma care and rehabilitation, and shortages of health workers. High out-of-pocket payments in Ukraine make access to health services more difficult. Around 46% of total health expenditure is paid directly by individuals, placing a significant financial burden on many households and underscoring the need for reforms in health financing. Older people, persons with disabilities, women, children and veterans continue to face the greatest difficulties in accessing health services. “Ukraine is demonstrating that health system transformation can continue even during war. Ukraine is also continuing to align its health system with European norms and standards. WHO is committed to supporting Ukraine on this journey. We provide technical support, help coordinate partners’ efforts and support the institutional changes needed to strengthen the system. We are grateful to Sweden for its support. Through this partnership, we can help Ukraine build a more resilient, accessible and people-centred health system,” said Dr Jarno Habicht, WHO Representative in Ukraine. About the Health System Transformation InitiativeThe new initiative will support Ukraine through 3 interconnected areas: strengthening governance and coordination of health sector reforms through more inclusive coordination platforms and structured policy dialogue; transforming service delivery by reinforcing a primary health care-centred model that integrates family medicine, nursing and midwifery; and improving financial sustainability by supporting reforms that ensure the long-term viability of the national health system and reduce out-of-pocket payments for households. Overall, these reforms are expected to make the health system more coherent and easier to navigate, improve the quality and continuity of care, and ensure more equitable access to services, particularly for those who need them most. They will also support Ukraine’s progress towards a more modern health system aligned with European standards. “We are convinced that long-term recovery is not possible without strong, high-quality, person-centred health services that are accessible to everyone. Our partnership with WHO is designed to support deep and lasting systemic changes. Investments in human capital especially autonomous midwives, whose role for maternal, newborn and adolescent sexual and reproductive health cannot be understated, stronger governance, digital transformation and the financial sustainability of the health system are investments in Ukraine’s future. We are proud to support this process,” said Malin Perhult, the Head of the Ukraine Unit at Sida. Focus throughout implementation will be given to the most vulnerable population groups, including older people, women and children, and persons with disabilities, who have been affected by the war and face greater health-care needs. The initiative will be implemented in close cooperation with the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, the National Health Service of Ukraine, the Public Health Centre of Ukraine, regional authorities and international partners. This project will help Ukraine move towards a system where everyone can access the health care they need. It will strengthen primary care, make the health finance system more stable and predictable, and reduce the out-of-pocket costs that Ukrainians face when using health services. As a result, the Ukrainian health system will become more aligned with European standards and more sustainable in the long run.
PlayStation Boss Says New Console Experiences Will Involve 'Leveraging Technologies That Can Be Used in Various Forms and Locations' — and I'm Convinced He's Teasing a PS6 Handheld
Recent comments from Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Hideaki Nishino have suggested PlayStation may move towards more hybrid, Switch-like consoles in the future to match modern on-the-go players.
Shohei Ohtani Earns Three Nominations for 2026 ESPYS
Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers has redefined what a two-way player can look like in the modern era of baseball. Ohtani is coming off a 2025 season in which he won his fourth MVP and second straight World Series championship. On Thursday, ESPN announced the nominations for the 2026 ESPYS awards.
Neuroimaging utilization in emergency departments has increased year-over-year for a decade
Researchers believe their new data could be used to better inform staffing coverage in modern radiology departments.
NJ Legislators Push for End to Corporate Money in Politics
NJ Legislators Push for End to Corporate Money in Politics New Legislation Would Redefine “Corporation” Under State Law to Disallow Political Spending SUMMIT, N.J.—Assemblymembers Andrew Macurdy, Chigozie Onyema, and Maureen Rowan today announced a bill that would bring an end to corporate spending on politics in New Jersey. The bill alters the definition of “corporation”[...]
Apolosign Digital Calendar and Portable TV for Family Organization and Home Entertainment
NEW YORK, June 25, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Apolosign, a smart family display brand serving more than one million households worldwide, today an...
Moderna Science Day Highlights Expanding Potential of mRNA Platform
Provides broad overview of Company's research and early development programs expected to continue to fuel future growth Highlights validation of T-cell engager modality with mRNA-2808 in multiple myeloma, supporting rapid advancement of second T-cell ...
Oakland Athletics Partners with Motion Sports
ROCHESTER, Mich. - Oakland University has announced a new partnership with Motion, the modern technology platform built for college athletic departments. The Golden Grizzlies will implement Motion across their athletic department, giving coaches, academic staff, and student-athletes a cleaner, more connected way to work.
Susan Collins is testing whether old school politics still work
In the modern era, political activists want their representatives to fall strictly in line. To the base, the independent centrist is no longer a hero; they are a villain to be purged. But Susan Collins has a pitch that she is an independent voice.
‘Incuhub’ for small businesses opens location in Newport News
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) – A flexible workspace and business incubator has now opened a new location. Incuhub has locations in Portsmouth, Hampton and now Newport News. Incuhub is a modern wo…
QED Science Launches AI Infrastructure for Scientific Validation
Recognizes The 1% After Blind Evaluation of 57,455 Scientific PreprintsTEL AVIV, Israel, June 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- QED Science, a science validity engine and modern infrastructure for researchers, funders, institutions and life science organizations today launched The 1%, the top 574 life science preprints. The company anonymously scored 57,455 bioRxiv preprints submitted between May 2025 and April 2026 for originality and validity. The ranking is powered by QED Score, QED Science’s vali
Scientists Inserted A Gene Into Mice That's Older Than Animal Life Itself
Ancient genes, modern mice.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 redesign leaked in high quality official press renders
One of the most well-known leakers came out of his retirement just to show us the partially adapted design of the Galaxy Watch Ultra successor in form of high-quality official render images. The ultimate Samsung smartwatch definitely adopts elements of the Galaxy Watch Classic8, some specs have also been confirmed.
Sega Announces Two Sonic Game Collections For Switch
Including a "Modern" and "Classic" collection
Flagship Pioneering and Lean Business Services Company Announce Collaboration to Advance Healthcare Innovation and AI-Enabled Biomedical Research in Saudi Arabia
/PRNewswire/ -- Flagship Pioneering, the scientific innovation company behind Moderna, Generate Biomedicines, and more than 100 other life sciences ventures,...
VA’s top health official pushes IT overhaul to cut bureaucracy, boost veteran care
As VHA balances cost, disruption and rollout pace across its modernization portfolio, John Bartrum said he's tracking success on two fronts.
Covid vaccine study the acting CDC director blocked is published in an outside journal
The findings suggest that Covid vaccines reduced the likelihood of severe illness last fall and winter.
Hidden bird species discovered in Japan after DNA reveals a stunning secret
A bird long thought to be a single rare species in Japan has turned out to be two. Scientists discovered that the elusive Ijima’s Leaf Warbler and a newly identified Tokara Leaf Warbler look almost identical, but their DNA and songs reveal they are distinct species. The finding marks Japan’s first new bird species discovery in more than 40 years and highlights how modern genetic tools are uncovering hidden biodiversity that would otherwise go unnoticed.
Opinion | The I Ching, Leibniz and AI: how old China-West links shaped modern science
The connection between Chinese civilisation and Western scientific thinking is far deeper and more intricate than commonly understood.
Why the forces that felled Keir Starmer threaten so many western leaders
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was felled by a curse haunting most western leaders — a failure to deliver change to voters who’ve lost trust in the capacity of modern politics to make their lives better and more affordable.
Clive Davis, Legendary Executive Who Helped Shape Modern Music, Has Died
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee fostered the careers of icons including Whitney Houston, Bruce Springsteen, Janis Joplin and Aerosmith.
AI in Mental Healthcare Presents Both Opportunities and Challenges
Artificial intelligence (AI) technology and its applications are reshaping many domains of modern life, including how individuals seek support for mental health needs and how they receive that care. Healthcare professionals are rapidly adopting AI-based applications designed to support workflow and care delivery, streamline processes, and help expand access to services.
Department of Health launches rural health initiative to modernize patient scheduling
West Virginia’s Department of Health has issued an RFP for a statewide patient scheduling platform to modernize how residents find and book care.
Zeiss Medical Technology Collaborates With Envision Health Technologies to Advance Glaucoma Care Using VR-Based Testing
JENA, Germany—Zeiss Medical Technology, a leader in medical optics and digital healthcare solutions, has announced a strategic collaboration with Envision Health Technologies, a digital eye health company founded by glaucoma surgeon Lama A. Al-Aswad, MD, MPH, CEO, to help advance glaucoma care through gamified virtual reality (VR) technology. The companies said this collaboration aims to firmly strengthen scientific and clinical credibility in VR-based visual function testing, supported by Zeiss’ long history of innovation in perimetry, and will bring together clinical expertise and software innovation to help advance clinically relevant, patient-centered technologies for modern glaucoma care.
Lion undergoes double cataract surgery
‘The surgery itself is almost identical to modern human cataract surgery.’
Solar storms don't shock people directly — they induce electric currents in long metal, meaning power lines, pipelines and undersea internet cables become the very antennas that channel the damage into modern life
Solar storms do not electrocute people. They induce slow electric currents in long conductors — power lines, pipelines and undersea internet cables — which then channel the damage into substations and shore stations. The 1989 Quebec blackout took down a continent's grid in 90 seconds without a single direct strike from the Sun.
Google's Gemini Partially Figures Out A Lengthy Linux Boot Time On Modern ASUS Laptop
Google Antigravity with the Gemini 3.5 Flash model helped a Linux user sort out a situation where his laptop was taking around 36 seconds to boot the kernel, which shouldn't be the case for the high-end laptop with AMD Ryzen 9 processor and 32GB of RAM
Roland’s Mini Mixer Puts A Recording Studio In Anyone’s Pocket
Back in January, Roland announced the GO:Mixer Studio for modern content creators, mobile musicians and podcasters who want to work and record content anywhere.
New research casts doubt on cannabis benefits, cites mental health risks
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel discusses new research on modern marijuana’s high THC potency and increased mental health risks on ‘Fox & Friends Weekend.’
"It helped": Years of Xbox Series S game optimization probably made life much easier for Nintendo Switch 2 developers
Series S optimizations may have given developers valuable experience when bringing modern games to Nintendo Switch 2.
Paddling duo take on 1,000-mile wilderness kayak race
Oliver Smee and Ben Watkins are set to become the youngest pair to take on kayaking's longest race.
HPAE Nurses Ratify New Contract giving Patients Access to a Virtua Health Hospital with Safe Nurse-to-Patient Ratios
HPAE Nurses Ratify New Contract giving Patients Access to a Virtua Health Hospital with Safe Nurse-to-Patient Ratios Now every NJ Hospital with HPAE Nurses has enforceable safe staffing in their union contract EMERSON — HPAE Local 5105 Registered Nurses at Virtua-Mount Holly Hospital have ratified a new three-year contract with Virtua Health that includes enforceable safe nurse-to-patient[...]