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MLB’s Upside-Down Playoff Picture Undercuts Owners’ CBA Messaging
The Tampa Bay Rays are providing an inconvenient counterweight to MLB owners’ framing of modern baseball. Owners have long held up the financial disparities in the sport, and their subsequent impact on competitive balance, as a reason to overhaul its cost structure and implement a salary cap. Yet the low-spending Rays have the best record …
Cyclospora exposes weak links in America's food safety system
The Trump administration wants Americans to eat healthy foods, but experts say cuts have weakened public health infrastructure.
The Science Behind the AI Panic Is Shakier Than You Think
A column by Sascha Lobo Is AI making us dumb? So asked DER SPIEGEL on its cover a while ago. After a few weeks of recovery and a therapeutic intervention with the help of my AI, I feel able to respond. That’s a bit unfair, of course; the article itself is more nuanced than the loud cover, the image of a schoolkid with dull prompt questions, or the subtitle: “AI is conquering the schools, and educators fear a disaster.” The short answer to “Is AI making us dumb?” is: no. The long answer is more interesting, and even carries a preliminary glimmer of the spectacular. Unfortunately, it requires a detour into the sphere of artificial intelligence, into the mogul-field terrain of technology assessment, the attention economy, and the destructive virus of cultural pessimism. Along with narrowing the scope to AI’s effects on education and work rather than on intelligence. Because the honest version of the question would be: Does AI help us learn and work, or not? Generative AI, which set off the still-ongoing hype with ChatGPT, has only existed in relevant distribution since late 2022, early 2023. For a technology-driven transformation of people and society, that is extremely short. For that reason alone, research is still in its infancy. And technology assessment is not a fast discipline anyway. Prominent voices from Elizabeth Eisenstein to RAND to Tom Wheeler say we still cannot conclusively judge the consequences of the printing press. Its invention is a mere 580 years back, and some scholars would rather not circulate assessments that might have to be retracted in two or three hundred years. We’re Going Through Growing Pains A phenomenon that already caused upheaval in social media research makes serious assessment of AI’s consequences even harder: the “moving target” problem of LLM-ology, as the linguist Sean Trott called it in 2025. AI develops so quickly and so unpredictably that researchers often end up studying snapshots of the past. There are concepts, from morphological analysis to anticipatory governance, for keeping research, planning, and regulation halfway meaningful anyway. But even with those, universally valid statements are rare. DER SPIEGEL - The German View is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe We should therefore treat findings about the interplay between humans and AI as far more procedural and situational. Unfortunately, this challenge comes at the worst possible time. We are going through growing pains: AI’s everyday impact has grown very large very fast, and with it the longing for guidance. Annoyingly, the body of solid knowledge has not exploded along with it. Experts cannot be moved to broad consensus on even banal statements about AI. Sascha Lobo, born in 1975, is an author and strategy consultant focusing on the internet and digital technologies. Together with Jule Lobo, he explores the debates of the day in the podcast “Feel the News – Was Deutschland bewegt” (”What Moves Germany”). Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says software developers are dying out. Bill Gates considers coders one of only three professions that will survive the AI tsunami. Top tech economists find virtually irrefutable arguments both for and against an AI bubble. The same naturally applies to the structurally youth-hostile debate over whether AI is good or bad for young people. The gap between the demand for insight and the supply of solid knowledge creates an orientation vacuum. This vacuum of AI cluelessness is filled, as the attention economy described by Georg Franck in 1998 would have it, with half-knowledge (funnily enough, often AI-generated), marketing, and self-marketing. After all, infinite money is at stake, along with academia’s best current shot at global fame. But this iridescent froth of interpretation operates more by the algorithmic principles of the digital public sphere than by seriously earned insight. That is why dramatized, fear-feeding claims about AI are so promising. It tempts parts of academia into distorted drivel, and parts of the media then sensationalize the published drivel once more. Was the Research Aimed at a Desired Result? How badly this can influence academia and public perception is demonstrated by one of the most-discussed studies on AI’s effects: “Your Brain on ChatGPT.” The MIT study by Nataliya Kosmyna also gets plenty of space in the SPIEGEL cover story. What was measured and interpreted: lower brain activity in people who write with AI assistance, compared to people who only google or write without any tools. As is common with preprints, the study has not yet been peer-reviewed, and it contains substantial weaknesses that experts have sharply criticized. The first round had 54 participants in three groups, the second only 18, who reportedly also came from MIT’s own orbit. There was no preregistration (committing in advance to what you want to find out with which data). In their analysis, Stanković et al. even discovered an opposite effect that the study does not further explain. Some measurement data has not (yet) been published. And the EEG analysis method used is considered too imprecise to support such far-reaching conclusions. The biggest criticism, though, is the suspicion of an activism-driven study. In an interview with Time, lead author Kosmyna said she published the study immediately, rather than after full peer review, because she feared politicians might otherwise decide to put ChatGPT in kindergartens. She considers that absolutely harmful. It is legitimate to hold such a view. It just seems unscientific to approach a study with it, and then to design the setup so that the chance of a fitting desired result remains as high as possible. Ideologies Collide It is not easy to separate genuine AI insights from studies that trivialize and weaken well-founded AI criticism. The same goes for the opposing, AI-enthusiastic narratives, because the pro-AI side works against it with billions in resources. Ideologies collide, fed by egos, PR strategies, moral posturing, and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Doomsday marketing makes the search even harder: AI companies can profit from warnings about the dangers of AI, whether through the notoriety of apocalypse narratives or because, in some target groups, danger translates into power. Some seemingly negative findings are therefore quite welcome in the AI industry. If you try to get at the findings presumably less influenced by interest groups, the picture in education seems relatively clear: AI can improve educational outcomes when the right AI is used the right way, namely pedagogically. Simply dumping an AI chatbot into a classroom, by contrast, accomplishes little. Huge surprise. But something else is also obvious: whether they are allowed to or not, kids use AI for school, which is why the controlled integration of AI tools into education is, in the medium term, entirely without alternative. In the world of work, the landscape of findings is more complex and requires more differentiation. A series of serious studies points to an AI effect that suits neither the alarmists, regulation fetishists, and AI opponents, nor the trillion-dollar corporations with their armada of paid scientists, PR professionals, and ecosystems: working with AI helps the inexperienced (at least for now) considerably more than it helps the pros, in certain fields of work, and provided they know how to use it correctly. Missing Domain Knowledge Among the experienced, the professionals, and the high flyers, by contrast, despite frequent time savings, partially negative effects and new problems are emerging. Take the jagged frontier problem: AI solves task A brilliantly and fails completely at task B, even though both look similar even to professionals. Or the verification-cost problem, in which AI’s greater productivity gets eaten up by the enormous effort of checking its output. Or the illusion of competence, because AI makes new domains seem easily penetrable, until you painfully discover that deep domain knowledge is missing. Taken as a whole, the effects of working with AI do lean positive. But the promise that AI works as a turbocharger for everyone and boosts practically everything simply refuses to materialize. The AI magic the world has been feeling since ChatGPT arrived in late 2022 has so far barely shown up in most companies’ numbers. The consulting firm McKinsey has coined a term for this, the “gen AI paradox,” and believes that work processes and corporate structures would have to be rebuilt quite fundamentally to realize AI’s benefits at scale. Reuters just reported that only 3.3 percent of Microsoft’s customers have subscribed to the AI package Copilot. That may be down to the product; in other areas we continue to see soaring successes and new AI triumphs. But after the first quarter of 2026, disillusionment is the word for all too many AI projects at traditional companies: because the promised revolution of AI agents has so far failed to arrive or been postponed, and because of the leveling effect that many of the studies cited here suggest. Against Inequality The societal effects, on the other hand, appear rather encouraging. Many previous technologies operated on the Matthew principle, named for the Gospel verse about giving to those who already have: they tended to reward the more competent and more privileged. AI, however, seems more often to have an equalizing effect once a threshold of access and education is crossed. Some anecdotal insights point in this direction, for example, how an unemployed man in Leipzig successfully defended himself in court in 2025 against fraud accusations from Germany’s federal employment agency — without a lawyer, armed only with ChatGPT. The AI made mistakes and cited invented court rulings, but in the end the man walked away unpunished. And a key capability of artificial intelligence is its capacity to learn: set up correctly and fed with data, it can keep getting better. It is a question of time, or more precisely of AI innovations and training data, until even free AI chatbots write better legal briefs than law graduates with perfect exam scores. Whether that will make anyone dumb is something the world’s press will surely inform us of in due time. Subscribe Leave a comment
T964 Named as Uptime Institute Business Partner to Power Iraq’s Digital Infrastructure
WASHINGTON, July 29, 2026--Uptime Institute and Tech964 Holding Limited (T964) announced a strategic partnership to accelerate Iraq’s digital transformation.
Chuck Grayeb lists priorities for his return to Peoria politics
Grayeb said his priorities include rebuilding infrastructure and helping reduce violent crimes, including dealing with the youngest offenders
A tiny molecular basket unlocks a powerful new kind of chemistry
Rice University chemists have found a new way to make neodymium, a rare-earth metal, interact with oxygen. Using a specially designed molecular structure described as a “basket,” the team positioned the atoms so they could form a bond once thought unlikely. The breakthrough produced highly reactive compounds that could eventually give chemists alternatives to iron-based molecules used in biological reactions and chemical manufacturing.
Jeff Bezos says this business is becoming Amazon’s next ‘pillar’
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos says the company's custom AI chip business is poised to become its next "pillar," joining Marketplace, Prime, and AWS as one of Amazon's foundational businesses as the tech giant doubles down on artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Immersive Experience Bolsters Sphere Entertainment’s (SPHR) Strong Performance
O’Keeffe Stevens Advisory, an investment advisory firm, released its second-quarter 2026 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. During Q2 2026, the market experienced notable dispersion between perceived AI losers and winners. The firm has made investments early in AI infrastructure companies, which yielded gains during market repricing. The second quarter […]
A slowing Atlantic current could unleash stronger California storms
A weakening Atlantic current could supercharge California’s atmospheric rivers while leaving Greenland with fewer snow-producing storms. The changes could raise flood risks, strain infrastructure, and reshape water supplies far beyond the Atlantic.
VERITAS project could change the way scientists secure AI
VERITAS is an NSF-funded project bringing AI security to research infrastructure, screening models and data for hidden risks.
Colossal scars of 60 million-year-long continental collision streak across warped mountains in Pakistan
A 2011 satellite photo shows off an "imbricate fan" of alternating rocks in Pakistan's Sulaiman Range. The striking structure formed along the boundary of two tectonic plates that have long been locked in a geological tug-of-war.
Scientists cut and rebuild molecules from the inside to create new chiral nanocarbons
Nanocarbons are molecular-scale carbon structures considered to be the building blocks for next-generation materials. Until now, scientists have built them by fusing small, flat carbon molecules together ...
Data centers: The business structure that's reshaping AI infrastructure finance
Learn how data center REITs fund AI/HPC growth via joint ventures and institutional capital, plus stocks to watch and rising regulation risks—read now.
Michigan passenger rail is finally poised for change
Michigan has more state-owned passenger rail infrastructure than anywhere outside the Northeast — and almost nothing to show for it. That could change soon.
Kansas and Missouri fall in business rankings
Infrastructure carried the most weight this year.
Natural gas producer Expand Energy to acquire Twin Eagle for $1.25 billion
Expand Energy said on Monday it would buy privately held natural gas marketer Twin Eagle Holdings from Five Point Infrastructure for $1.25 billion.
"KVM Chainsaw" Expected To Hit Linux 7.3 For Dealing With God Data Structure
A patch series that appears destined for the upcoming Linux 7.3 merge window is what's dubbed the 'KVM Chainsaw' as a major code clean-up in dealing with the kvm_mmu 'god data structure'.
Public health advice tells us to buy local. Can Canada’s food system keep up?
A resilient food system requires connecting affordability, trade, food safety, biosecurity, regional infrastructure and preparedness before the next disruption.
Understanding The Fraught Politics Of Powering AI
Growing anxiety over electricity bills, on the rise in part because of the AI-driven infrastructure buildout, has quickly become a liability for industry and politicians alike
KC contractor says KCI project showed value of city minority business program
Kansas City's minority and women-owned program helped Structure Incorporated secure work at KCI, but it was a long road to get there.
Kuwait Oil Company Signs US$ 16.0 Billion Infrastructure Partnership Involving Its Crude Oil Pipeline Network With a Consortium Comprising Blackstone, Brookfield and KKR
Kuwait Petroleum Corporation ("KPC"), the state-owned corporation overseeing Kuwait's oil and gas sector, today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, K...
Bronin campaign, Iran war votes, TPS holders: CT politics news
Plus: Work stacks up for Congress post-recess, a report condemns "extorded compliance," and CT puts $10M towards rural infrastructure.
WV Superintendent of Schools Launches First AI and Digital Science Framework in the Nation
Charleston, W.Va. - West Virginia Superintendent of Schools Michele L. Blatt will share the state’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Science Framework with educators during professional development sessions at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center, Monday through Wednesday, July 27-29, 2026. The Framework, the first of its kind in the country, outlines an approach for digital science and AI literacy education that equips students with the knowledge, skills and credentials to succeed in this rapidly evolving workforce. It also offers educators a way to increase efficiencies in their work and better personalize learning for students.Earlier this year, Superintendent Blatt appeared before a U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee to share the state’s strategy on addressing the use of AI while also protecting students, their data and educational integrity. The Framework is the result of years of planning, collaboration and development. Digital science encompasses the evolving fields of computer science, AI literacy, data reasoning, cybersecurity awareness, media literacy and the practical application of digital technologies. The framework equips educators to prepare students with the AI and digital science knowledge and skills needed to thrive in the workforce of the future.The West Virginia AI and Digital Science Framework establishes a statewide structure for sustained success. From policy to educator development and student learning, it defines how the state will implement digital science and AI readiness at scale. It serves two priority goals:Respond to the rapidly changing technology landscapeEstablish best practices as a leader for rural models of AI readiness, workforce development and digital science educationWith three statewide commitments, educators will be equipped with understanding and the tools to support implementation. These commitments are:Student Access - Every student will have access to AI literacy learning experiences and digital science instruction before graduationEducator Capacity - All counties will sustain local AI training capacity through a train-the-trainer modelWorkforce Alignment - Every approved pathway will connect to employer demand, postsecondary alignment, and portable or verified credentialsNext week, the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) will launch the framework during three educator and staff development sessions. These sessions include unique opportunities for new county central office hires, the Support, Appreciate, Invest, and Learn (SAIL) Conference, and the West Virginia Middle Schools: Bridging the Future Initiative launch. Each session is designed to meet the needs of K-12 educators, professionals, paraprofessionals, service personnel and others who serve in the education community.West Virginia is a national leader in developing a framework for AI and digital science education. We are determined to elevate our model because it prepares students and educators for the future. Our partners at Prodigy Learning and Microsoft understand this commitment and believe, as do we, that our work has national implications for accessibility and scalability because we are building systems that address learning at all levels that lead to post-graduation success.Michele L. Blatt, State Superintendent of SchoolsAs part of the partnership, Prodigy Learning is providing West Virginia educators, at no additional cost, their in-person and virtual training on all products and the materials required for license renewal.
Buffalo Bills Honor Bills Mafia in New Highmark Stadium
Standing twenty feet tall and built directly into the structure, a massive broken folding table immortalizes the Bills Mafia’s most notorious tailgating tradition in the new Highmark Stadium.
Blanche urged to investigate alleged foreign influence in fight against data centers
GOP lawmakers claim foreign-linked organizations tied to China and Russia are working to undermine U.S. data centers and AI infrastructure development.
Disease Outbreaks Are Exposing The Cracks In Our Global Public Health System
Measles, Cyclosporiasis and Ebola are spreading at unprecedented levels. All three are exposing vulnerabilities in global public health infrastructure.
Business coalition opposes NYC Council last-mile delivery legislation
Opponents to Intro. 518 say the City Council bill would restructure the city’s last-mile delivery network.
McCormick unveils leadership, operating plan after Unilever Foods deal
Hunt Valley-based McCormick & Co. unveiled its leadership team and operating structure for its planned combination with Unilever’s Foods business.
When It Comes to Fusion, Materials Matter
Fusion at high temperatures powers the sun and, if harnessed, could provide a potential source of energy here on Earth. But controlling fusion reactions has other benefits. The process also generates subatomic particles called neutrons that are used in a range of applications spanning medicine, research, and national security. Now, scientists at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis), and the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have found that the materials surrounding a fusion reaction can dramatically increase how often it occurs, particularly at low energies where fusion is rare. The study was published July 18 in Nature Communications. Their approach sets up a way to study and engineer nuclear reactions within solid materials, opening a new field of “materials-driven fusion.” Instead of designing materials just to survive the harsh conditions of fusion, researchers might be able to design materials that boost the reaction in specific conditions, similar to the way catalysts speed up chemical processes. “It gives you a new knob to turn that you didn’t have before,” said Arun Persaud, head of the Fusion Science & Ion Beam Technology group in Berkeley Lab’s Accelerator Technology & Applied Physics (ATAP) Division. “If we understand this effect better, it opens the door to engineering new materials that would affect the fusion rate under certain conditions. Someday future progress might enable more compact and efficient neutron generators, which have all kinds of applications, like cargo screening, planetary science, and medical therapy and imaging.” In the experiment, researchers used two different methods to pack deuterium, a heavy form of hydrogen atoms that is often used in fusion, into thin foils of palladium and titanium. They then fired a beam of deuterium ions at the foils at different energies and measured how often fusion happened. Then they compared the rates from the different materials and methods with the “bare” fusion reaction (not in a material). The team found that fusion rates depended on how the deuterium was loaded into the metal foils. The biggest effect was at the lowest energies, below 2.5 kiloelectronvolts (keV), where theory predicts fusion rates drop off sharply. Instead, researchers found a surprising plateau: Some samples showed elevated fusion rates roughly a quintillion times higher than bare fusion reactions. (A quintillion is a 1 followed by 18 zeroes.) Researchers are not exactly sure why that’s happening, though they have some ideas and ways to test them. The electrons and defects within the material might partially shield repulsive electrostatic forces between deuterium nuclei, making it easier for them to get close together and fuse. Tuning the electronic structure, defects, and composition of materials could help make nuclear reactions happen more readily. “It comes down to better understanding the mechanism so that we can try to enhance it,” said corresponding author Jeremy Munday, a professor at UC Davis. “We’ve seen that we can increase fusion rates, but what is the limit? Can we bring it to lower temperatures or energies? There’s obviously a lot of interest and excitement about fusion, so if there’s something we can learn about the physics at these lower energy scales, maybe there’s something we can translate to other areas of nuclear science.” The team plans to explore a wider range of materials and continue probing the unexpected fusion plateau at lower energies. Their work establishes a reproducible experimental platform to study how solid materials influence nuclear reactions, creating a new area of research that links fusion science with materials science and chemistry. “The work shows conclusively that the material environment where fusion occurs at low temperatures is an active participant rather than a passive container,” said Cameron Geddes, director of ATAP. “That adds a new dimension to fusion research.” This work was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). ### Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) is committed to groundbreaking research focused on discovery science and solutions for abundant and reliable energy supplies. The lab’s expertise spans materials, chemistry, physics, biology, earth and environmental science, mathematics, and computing. Researchers from around the world rely on the lab’s world-class scientific facilities for their own pioneering research. Founded in 1931 on the belief that the biggest problems are best addressed by teams, Berkeley Lab and its scientists have been recognized with 17 Nobel Prizes. Berkeley Lab is a multiprogram national laboratory managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. DOE’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science.
Federal government to spend $5B on AI-powered health, infrastructure research
More than 15 federal agencies will use AI to investigate the root causes of chronic diseases, develop treatments for pediatric cancer, expedite the discovery of prescription drugs and enhance U.S. energy infrastructure, among other related…
‘Got to be kidding me’: GOP officials pan Trump’s claims of shocking new election threats
Four days after President Donald Trump declared that his administration uncovered “shocking vulnerabilities in our election infrastructure,” dozens of state election officials from across the country gathered in Boston.
Google justifies its massive AI spending with a booming cloud business
Google's cloud business is thriving, as companies adopting its AI and AI infrastructure services help the tech giant to report record profits.
Reducing muscle protein activity strengthens bone health, study suggests
Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), or "brittle bone disorder," is a connective tissue disorder that affects collagen, a protein that makes up much of the body's structure. There are more than 10 different ...
Update: Attacks on Independent Science and How We’re Fighting Back
UCS is helping to rebuild federal science infrastructure and institutions from outside the government… to preserve what’s being dismantled within it.
Carnegie Mellon's AI Science Foundry Selected by NSF To Help Build National Infrastructure for AI-Enabled Scientific Discovery
Carnegie Mellon University's AI Science Foundry, one of the world's most advanced AI-powered research facilities, has been selected as a node in the U.S. National Science Foundation's (NSF) Programmable Cloud Laboratory (PCL) Testbed, a national initiative to build a network of AI-enabled laboratories.
UMaine-led team selected for inaugural DOE Genesis Mission to advance AI in underground science
Beneath Maine’s salt marshes, an invisible transformation is constantly underway. Water moves through soil and rock. Chemicals react. Tiny microbes living underground help determine whether minerals dissolve or form, how fluids move and whether pollutants break down or spread. Existing computer models used to guide decisions about energy infrastructure and…
NSF announces $83M investment in integrated data systems and services to advance AI-driven science and strengthen U.S. research infrastructure
The U.S. National Science Foundation today announced $83 million in awards through the Integrated Data Systems and Services (IDSS) program. The awards will expand access to data infrastructure…
TECfusions, a Rapidly Growing Developer and Operator of AI-Ready Data Centers and Power Infrastructure, Signs Business Combination Agreement with Apex Treasury Corp.
TECfusions is positioned where accelerating AI data center demand meets a scarcity of power-secured capacity. Company ethos centered on the fusion of ‘Technology, Environment, Community’ focuses on delivering AI-ready capacity while advancing environmental redevelopment and local community outcomes. Unique adaptive reuse strategy designed to convert legacy industrial sites into AI-ready, power-enabled data center infrastructure, accelerating deployment in power-constrained markets. The Transacti
RadNet launches free lung cancer screening program for firefighters
The Los Angeles-based imaging center operator is seeking to aid first responders who served during last year’s Palisades Fire, which killed a dozen people and destroyed nearly 7,000 structures.
Wix Headless Brings Wix’s Full Business Infrastructure to AI Coding Tools and Vibe Platforms
New capability lets builders turn any AI-generated frontends into fully operational businesses with Wix-managed hosting, SEO, analytics, and integ...
Kirby Smart clarifies question over ‘sustainability’ in college sports, points to Olympic, women’s sports
Kirby Smart said there are aspects of college sports that are sustainable under the current structure and model. But the Georgia head coach issued a hard warning for those not involved in the major sports such as football nad basketball. When asked by ESPN’s Mike Greenberg if the current model is sustainable, Smart wasn’t worried […]
Lilly’s $2.8 Billion Bet on Psychedelics Buys Science That Conventional Trial Infrastructure May Not Be Able to Run
Eli Lilly acquires AtaiBeckley for $2.8B, but the FDA's final psychedelic trial guidance reveals an operational crisis Big Pharma hasn't priced in.
International Courts Against the Defunding of Climate Science? Revisiting the ICJ’s Climate Change Advisory Opinion
Introduction The first eighteen months of the second Trump administration have witnessed a sustained assault on scientific infrastructures enabling understanding of anthropogenic climate change. This has taken the form of cuts to national science agencies; freezes and dramatic reductions in grants to universities; and attempts to dismantle observation arrays and crucial monitoring stations. It has […]
I retired after 53 years in business. Now I raise guide dogs.
Jerry Burns says raising puppies for Guiding Eyes for the Blind has given him structure, purpose, and a new community in retirement.
New Jersey aims to turn science into startups
The investment manager of the NJII Venture Studio says new venture infrastructure aims to turn research into startups and jobs.
Florida Hemp Businesses Hope Trump Can Save Them From Planned Federal Ban On THC Products
“The category’s too big to fail. The consumer demand is there. The infrastructure is in place. I don’t think that it’s going anywhere. It’s a matter of when and how we get regulated.” By Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix On Saturday, St. Petersburg retailer Herban Flow hosted its third High and Dry Festival, which featured dozens […]
Earth’s biggest volcanic event transformed an entire oceanic plate
Seismic waves have revealed that the oceanic plate beneath the Ontong Java Plateau was dramatically transformed by the colossal volcanic activity that created it more than 100 million years ago. Researchers found a complex structure of horizontal layers cut through by vast swarms of vertical magma channels, along with unusually slow seismic waves suggesting that deep-rising magma chemically altered the plate itself.
Your Period Tracker Is (Probably) Spying on You
Plus: Russian cyberspies turn to infrastructure hacking, DHS repeatedly fails to realize it’d been hacked, a breach exposes an AI music generator’s scraping ways, and more.
US data center protests go national as backlash grows
Opponents of the rapid buildout of data centers plan to hold protests on Saturday in at least 125 locations across the United States, the first coordinated national effort to channel anger at the AI infrastructure expansion that has ramped up over the past year and roiled local politics.
Scientists Solve The 40-Year Mystery of a Giant Structure Towering Over The Milky Way
Mind. Blown.
US Firm ABD Group Ramps Up Investment in Ivorian Health Infrastructure
ABD Group, the Africa-focused infrastructure development company, is expanding its investment in Ivory Coast’s health sector as the West African nation rolls out a new development plan.
20 places on Earth that scientists still can't fully explain
From a Himalayan lake whose DNA results deepened its own mystery to a Siberian blast that still defies full explanation, these are 20 real places science hasn't fully cracked
'RNA can do things which we have never seen before': New study challenges assumptions about what RNA was up to at the dawn of life
RNA can fold into more complex configurations than scientists thought, raising questions about how important these 3D structures were when life on Earth began.
The Directors: Two leaders in data science have a warp speed vision for AI, with cancer clinical trials leading the way Knudsen and Thoelke: “It’s actually solving for bottlenecks and challenges that we’ve been unable to overcome for so long”
The United States has a translation problem. Scientific breakthroughs in oncology are accelerating, but clinical trial infrastructure hasn’t kept pace. The solution: Speed up clinical trial enrollment by using AI to reduce costs and eliminate bureaucratic red tape. Tasks that ordinarily require hours of manual work for each patient in a single study can now […]
Chansky's Notebook: The Cost of Business
UNC has released its salary structure for the 2026-27 men's basketball season, and by comparison, it has to be a game of wait and see.
Century-old water main floods West Hollywood, damages businesses as questions grow over aging infrastructure
Exclusive FOX 11 video captured the moment floodwaters rushed into Dialog Coffee, where owners now face costly damage and cleanup.
ArcBest announces organizational changes, 2% workforce reduction
Fort Smith-based ArcBest on Thursday (July 16) announced organizational changes and a new brand structure, with an estimated 280 job cuts resulting from the changes. The company did not disclose...
CMS signals intent to revamp how it pays for clinical software and AI
CMS wants to build a standardized payment structure for clinical software and AI that factors in their impact on patient outcomes.
$321 million science initiative aims to make Appalachia America's next energy innovation hub
The U.S. National Science Foundation has announced that the Resilient Energy Technology and Infrastructure (RETI) Consortium is one of only 12 recipients
Laredo hosts first Port Laredo Global Trade Summit
Business and government leaders gathered in Laredo for the inaugural Port Laredo Global Trade Summit focused on trade, infrastructure and logistics.
Five cloud business groups urge EU interim measures against Broadcom
The Cloud Infrastructure Services Providers in Europe (CISPE) has joined forces with four other trade groups to urge EU antitrust regulators to suspend some business practices of U.S. chipmaker Broadcom , according to a joint letter seen by Reuters.
Deep below the Lost City, scientists uncovered superheated water that may fuel one of Earth's strangest ecosystems
Deep in the Atlantic Ocean, the Lost City hydrothermal field is known for eerie white chimney structures made of carbonate. Alkaline hot springs, loaded with hydrogen and methane, emerge from the seafloor ...
CISA warns admins to patch actively exploited SharePoint flaws
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) warned Tuesday that attackers are actively exploiting three vulnerabilities to hack Internet-exposed on-premises SharePoint Server instances.
County business park to get first infrastructure, new name
New Hanover County’s Holly Shelter Business Park could be getting its first infrastructure and a new name in the coming months. The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a $6.5 million infrastructure construction contract and renaming on Monday. Once developed, the approximately 300-acre master-planned industrial park is expected to accommodate more than 2 million square feet of industrial space. The construction contract was awarded to Carolina Civilworks, which submitted the lowest responsive bid for the construction of the infrastructure, Akin Akinola, the county’s engineer, told commissioners on Monday. In May 2023, the county approved a development agreement with Sidbury Land & Property Company to establish the business park. The firm then conveyed approximately 52 acres to the county, giving officials the option to purchase another 200 acres, Akinola said. “The county’s role is to construct the initial public infrastructure that will make the site ready for future development,” he said. “Today’s contract award represents the first major construction phase of that project.” The first phase of development will include approximately 2,750 linear feet of business park roadway, a water main and fire hydrants, along with a sanitary sewer pump station, sewer force main and gravity sewer. Other infrastructure will include a right-turn lane on Holly Shelter Road, along with associated drainage, utilities and traffic control improvements. “Completing this work establishes the backbone infrastructure necessary to serve future development and positions the site for future economic investment,” Akinola said on Monday. County staff, in consultation with Wilmington Business Development officials, are also recommending renaming the park as the I-40 Coastal Commerce Park, said Jennifer Rigby, the county’s chief strategy officer. The new name would emphasize the park’s proximity to I-40 and its location on the coast, she said. Several county commissioners also asked to add New Hanover County's name to the business park's name to commemorate the county's contributions. “We are hoping to achieve space for our businesses to grow and expand here in New Hanover County,” Rigby said. “We’ve had great success with out Blue Clay Business Park and this is another opportunity to really provide locations for our businesses to grow and expand.”
IBM shares plunge as AI spending boom disrupts business
Shares in IBM plunged 24 percent on Tuesday after the US tech giant released disappointing preliminary second-quarter results, blaming a shift in spending by customers due to expected higher prices for memory chips and other AI-related infrastructure.A global rush by tech companies to build out artificial intelligence infrastructure has sent demand for servers, memory chips and storage soaring, driving up prices and creating supply shortages across the industry.
Did scientists just create synthetic life?
The SpudCell certainly resembles a living cell, but a key structure inside the cell falls short of the real thing
Scaling the X-Labs Model is an Important Experiment at a Moment We Need Paths Forward
X-Labs seek to expand on what FROs have shown is possible: the generation of foundational infrastructure for entire new fields of research science.
U.S. National Science Foundation Announces Transformational Award to Connecticut's Quantum Tech Sector
'NSF Engines investments in critical technologies and future industries will transform America’s innovation infrastructure for decades to come'
IBM plunges on preliminary Q2 miss, cites weakness in software, infrastructure businesses
CNBC’s Carl Quintanilla, Jim Cramer and David Faber discuss the news of the day.
Shell sells India-based renewables business for $1.8B
The energy giant will sell its stake in Sprng Energy to Aditya Birla Renewables, which counts the BlackRock-owned Global Infrastructure Partners as a minority owner.
IBM forecasts preliminary Q2 revenue below estimates as spending shifts to AI
IBM's preliminary second-quarter revenue forecast came below Wall Street estimate on Tuesday, as customers prioritized spending on AI infrastructure, including servers, storage and memory purchases, sending its shares slumping 17% in premarket trading.
‘Water rushing through the bricks’: Pipe burst floods Cleveland business, impacts service
Council President Blaine Griffin said he’s going to see what he can do to address Cleveland’s aging infrastructure after a water main break left people without water and flooded a local business.
What one of Emperor Hadrian's latrines is telling us about the durability of Roman concrete
One of the many marvels of the Roman world is that some of its buildings are still with us. But why have they lasted for so long when some relatively modern structures are in a state of decay after a ...
Man found with stolen items after George County business burglary, deputies say
Deputies said the burglary at Southern Structure was reported Saturday, July 11.
CIO: Digital transformation depends on strong foundations, unity of purpose
Endeavor Health Chief Information Officer Deb Anderson says lasting innovation requires infrastructure, governance and organizational agility – with technologies working holistically, not individually – before new IT investments can deliver value.
A 200-year-old physics experiment could help build future computers
Scientists at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have discovered a surprisingly simple way to create exotic light structures called optical skyrmions using a 200-year-old optical effect known as the Poisson spot. Instead of relying on expensive, highly engineered materials, they simply shine a laser at a tiny circular disc, producing stable swirling patterns in light that researchers believe could one day help power advanced data storage, communications, and computing technologies.
Handover of Health Commodities
Joint Handover of Health Commodities Speech of Chargé d’Affaires Steve Bremner (…) Thank you for joining us. I am here today to demonstrate how U.S. foreign assistance under President Trump’s America First Global Health Strategy and our bilateral health MOU makes America safer and stronger while helping Madagascar build a more self-reliant health system. Through our bilateral Global Health Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in December 2025 with the Ministry of Public Health, our two governments outlined shared priorities and responsibilities, including a strong focus on infectious disease threats and Madagascar’s increasing ownership and co-investment in its own health system. The MOU outlines the structure and terms of U.S. support to Madagascar’s health sector from 2026 through 2030, with a total commitment of $134,305,000 from the U.S. government and $41,216,252 from the Government of Madagascar to work jointly to address malaria, maternal and child health, polio and global health security issues. Stronger health systems help prevent instability and reduce the risk that infectious diseases reach the United States, making both our countries safer. America First foreign assistance is clear and disciplined: It is a tool of strategic engagement, not global charity. Every U.S. taxpayer dollar must show measurable results, reduce long-term dependence on U.S. taxpayer resources, and support greater self-reliance in recipient countries. Support must be efficient and targeted, with zero tolerance for fraud, waste, or abuse. This year, through the U.S.-funded Global Health Supply Chain Program – Procurement and Supply Management project, we are distributing: 989,250 long-lasting insecticide-treated nets, worth $2,000,000 to 63 districts and 1,661 Community Health Centers across Madagascar, with the third and final delivery of these nets having arrived in late June. Through the U.S.-funded Momentum Country and Global Leadership (MCGL) project, we are funding: The full cost of Starlink internet connectivity equipment procurement, installation, and one-year subscription for 31 priority District and Regional Health Offices. Through the U.S.-funded Strengthening Infectious Disease Detection Systems project, we are supplying: 908,523 pieces of critical medical equipment and a modernized digital surveillance system to the Ministry of Public Health. These materials will strengthen health systems, improve response capabilities, and help those most in need of protection from mosquito-borne diseases — particularly malaria, which continues to claim the lives of children and women at an unacceptable rate. Deployed effectively, they will contribute to reducing maternal and newborn mortality in rural and hard-to-reach communities where the need is greatest. In these same underserved areas, Starlink connectivity will play a critical role in enabling the rapid transmission of health data and information to central levels, ensuring that decision-makers receive timely, actionable intelligence and can mount swift, coordinated responses to protect populations. For Americans, this support delivers concrete benefits. Stronger health systems in Madagascar help detect and contain infectious diseases before they spread across borders, protecting American and Malagasy families. More stable, healthier countries can expand trade and economic cooperation with the United States. Our goal is not permanent support; it is temporary, targeted assistance that helps Madagascar save lives while achieving greater self-reliance and independence from foreign assistance. To the health workers and community health agents here that will use the products we’re delivering today: your dedication and skills save lives. Your work exemplifies the kind of local ownership that will enable Madagascar to reduce dependence on foreign assistance and manage the country’s health challenges. This targeted support delivers results today while helping Madagascar build toward a future where it can sustain and expand those health gains independently, ensuring that today’s U.S. support leads to Madagascar’s self-sufficiency. Thank you, Misaotra.
Zurich Broadens Claims Capabilities to Support Construction Business
Zurich U.S. announced changes to its specialty claims structure to support its construction business. The changes include the creation of a new role, head
Distance from the Ebola threat is an illusion
The Ebola danger to the American public is not uncontained community spread, but rather the acute paralysis of our local healthcare infrastructure.
Ohio ranked No. 1 state for business by CNBC in 2026
Ohio earned the top spot in CNBC's 2026 Top States for Business rankings, with the network citing the state's low business costs, strong infrastructure and workforce investments.
How ready is Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympics?
Los Angeles area State Senator Ben Allen discussed Los Angeles' preparations for the 2028 Olympics, addressing lessons from the World Cup, infrastructure needs, and collaboration with federal and local partners.
They're Building Half A Bridge to Save Science...
Today’s post is about science: what you can do now to protect it from unprecedented threats, and how your action is the first half of a long-term program that Congress must take up next. Let me start with describing the embryonic state of science advocacy. There are many well-meaning organizations: the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Research!America, and subject-specific organizations such as the Society for Neuroscience and the American Physical Society. Their general approach is to emphasize the common good: the remarkable value that science and innovation have provided to all Americans. However, these organizations are offering an incomplete solution. Before I start, a preliminary: If you already know about the threat, go ahead and weigh in with OMB at this link. Ideas about what to say come from Research!America and the American Physical Society. You have until Monday, July 13 at 11:59pm Eastern. Then come back here and read the rest of this post. Finally, get in touch with whoever is likely to be your next member of Congress in 2027. The threat: An end to merit-based science… The onslaught of attacks on science is accelerating. It’s not just cuts to grants, which was the last battle. That battle is not done yet, but there is a new and worse threat. Now comes a proposed public rule from the Office of Management and Budget. The rule would take decision-making power over grants away from experts and put it into the hands of political appointees. Former NIH official Elizabeth Ginexi wrote an excellent summary of what OMB is trying to do, which is codify the executive branch’s ability to award or terminate grants, for arbitrary cause or no stated cause. Since World War II, a necessary step in scientific grant-making has been consideration of scientific merit. This approach has made America into a dominant scientific superpower, the envy of the world. Of course, political considerations do come into the mix. The proposed rule tilts the balance dramatically away from merit. …but why? Many people have difficulty comprehending why Russell Vought and OMB would want to damage science in this way. If you’re a working scientist, you are likely to be particularly uncomprehending. Who would hurt an activity so self-evidently good? The answer is: this is part of the program to replace the rule of law with a personalist regime. OMB Director Russell Vought, a Christian nationalist, would like to implement what legal scholars call a “unitary executive,” and what I would call a dictatorship. Or if you like, a personalist authoritarian regime. I am a working scientist. This rule will debilitate my research. It may chill the speech of scientists for speaking freely in the public sphere. It is a form of personalizing power and decision-making within the executive branch. In short, it sacrifices science in the service of tyranny. To Russell Vought, a decrease in the quality of science might be an acceptable cost. He might even consider it an added benefit to weaken a pillar of soft U.S. power based on knowledge and skepticism. The professional societies are building half a bridge The nonprofits are asking you to make public comment. Public comment is like building the first half of a bridge. Before implementation, OMB is compelled by law to have a period of public comment. Rules have to be consistent with the law and the Constitution. They express the federal government’s stance toward how those laws will be implemented. When a presidential administration works in good faith, these public comments are used to inform their eventual action, and sometimes mitigate it. The comment period reflects our First Amendment right to petition our government. The executive branch is then supposed to take those comments into account - completing the bridge between us, the people, and our government. Project 2025 seeks to take away the second half of the bridge. We have to replace it. The first half of the bridge Organizations like AAAS, Research!America, and SfN are partly right. You should certainly comment. Their core model is earnest: if enough of us make noise, then we will achieve change. This idealistic point of view is offered in good faith. That point of view is also currently bullshit. The fundamental reason is that the federal rulemaking process has two parts: There has to be a period of public comment. OMB makes the final rule…but is free to disregard public comment. Oops. That’s a loophole. However, not all is lost. Congress can complete the bridge Congress has enormous power. That power suggests a roadmap for how to proceed. This lawless administration is still going to issue that rule. Nonetheless, your comments still play an essential role. Here are two steps you can take. Step 1: Send your comment to your Representative and Senator. Whether they are Democrats or Republicans, many of them support science. Whatever you wrote as public comment in the Federal Register, also send it to your member of Congress. You can include information about jobs in your district or state by looking at Joshua Weitz’s ScienceMatters interactive map. Call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and give your town, zip code, or state, then deliver your message. Step 2: Politicize the hell out of science. You heard me, politicize it as an issue. We hear a lot from the old scientific establishment about science being nonpartisan. This is obsolete, sentimental thinking. Under normal conditions, it was true. But we can no longer make that assumption. We can keep on pretending, but we’re putting science at risk. There is a way forward. Rules are subordinate to the law…and Congress makes laws. Therefore Congress can step in. In this fall’s election, it is likely that Democrats will retake the House of Representatives. That puts at least one chamber of Congress in the hands of Democrats. They are far more inclined than the current Congress to investigate and legislate. This opens a path to undoing the damage. It also creates a permission structure for pro-science Republicans to find a way back from the brink. We have to encourage them. In the House, every district is up every two years. In your district, contact both of the major party candidates. If your state has a Senate race, contact those candidates too. Specifically mention the proposed OMB rule. Ask for two things: For this year’s appropriations process in August and September, ask that amendments be added to stop the implementation of the new rule. Those amendments should support peer-reviewed science and stop political interference. Looking ahead to next year, ask the Congressman/Congresswoman/Senator to work to hold hearings in 2027 on the importance and benefits of peer-reviewed science for health and prosperity. What hearings and amendments will accomplish Congress can use its investigatory power to summon heads of agencies and the director of the OMB. That will allow fact-finding regarding the consequences of this rule. Congress can override the rule through the appropriations process. They can write into statute a requirement to follow peer review and best scientific practices. In this way, Congress can stop the attacks on science. Postscript: Moving forward Now I have a request for you, to help me. As many of you know, I ran for Congress in order to save democracy and science. Although I did not win, that battle continues by other means. I met and heard from thousands of supporters both here in New Jersey and nationally. I learned that pro-science, pro-democracy activists have the potential to become a much greater force. In the weeks and months ahead, I will be building ways to harness that energy. I will be announcing those plans soon. In the meantime, an important step is to wind down the Congressional campaign, which has a few remaining bills to pay. Please help me retire that last debt.
Seahawks Announce Leadership Structure Changes Under New Owners
The Khosla family already throwing a few curveballs as to how the leadership structure will be in the Seattle Seahawks under their leadership.
The First Test of Bar Harbor's New Entertainment Rules.
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by the Bar Harbor Historical Society. BAR HARBOR—The Finback Alehouse was the first real test of the town’s new special amusement permit process, July 7 while eight other permits sailed through the process last week. The permit allows music in places where liquor is served. The town’s ordinance which was recently tweaked for a new process allows for the regulation of noise and hours of activity. The only discussion at the July Town Council meeting was about the Finback Alehouse on Cottage Street, in the heart of Bar Harbor’s downtown district. The Finback’s distinctive design—a front wall that is like a garage door that can be opened and closed—was a key to that discussion. The restaurant, which often hosts live bands, singers, and karaoke, at night, has had one substantiated noise complaint this season, which is documented on its application. According to Bar Harbor Police Chief David Kerns, most complaints about noise happen after 10 p.m., and if the Finback had two more violations within a year, they’d have to stop having music. One town councilor said that he’d have no problem reissuing the permit if the door was down. The permit passed through the process with no conditions. Vice Chair Earl Brechlin moved the motion with two time changes for two holiday weekend dates. It passed unanimously. The council asked the Finback why they’d chosen an indoor license with a wall that can be opened to the street. Dale Stockburger, representing the Finback, said he’d applied for an indoor permit rather than an outdoor structure or partial structure (which is usually applied to tents or pavilions). The restaurant has traditionally had an indoor license. Stockburger said that whether the door is open or closed is immaterial because he now stands outside with a decibel reader to make sure that the music isn’t too loud. OTHER SPECIAL AMUSEMENT PERMITS New Councilor Deborah Vickers worried that she had potential conflicts of interests on two other renewals due to the location of her employee housing. Vickers co-owns the Black Friar Inn. They have employee housing directly behind the Finback, which is also 300 yards from the Bar Harbor Inn, she explained. The Bar Harbor Inn also had a permit up for renewal. The councilors unanimously voted she did not have a conflict of interest. The councilors approved permits at The Bluenose Inn, 90 Eden St, Class A; Acadia Hotel Downtown, 20 Mount Desert St, Class A and C; the Bar Harbor Inn, 8 Newport Dr, Class A, B, C and D; C-Ray Lobster, 882 State Hwy 3, Class D; Holiday Inn Bar Harbor Regency, 123 Eden Street, Class B; Finback Alehouse, 30 Cottage St, Class B; Project Social, 278 Main St, Class C and D; Bar Harbor Beer Works, 119 Main St, Class B and D; and Mainely Meat BBQ Dreamwood Hill, 369 State Hwy 3, Class D. That process is laid out in the Special Amusement Ordinance of the Bar Harbor Town Code which is Chapter 14 of the town code. Special amusement permits have class codes. These are the meanings: Number - how many musicians are allowed by the permit. Class A - Indoor non-amplified entertainment. Class B - Indoor amplified entertainment or dancing. Class C - Outdoor non-amplified entertainment. Class D - Outdoor amplified entertainment. RESIDENCE LICENSES RENEWED AND A TAXI LICENSE The councilors also renewed the licenses for three specific sorts of residences that require that yearly renewal per the town code. The employee living quarters at Atlantic Oceanside Hotel, 119 Eden St and another at 278 Main Street were renewed. The shared accommodations license renewal at 39 Kebo Street also occurred. These are annual renewals. Bernard Taxi Services’ license was also renewed. This license had been added to the agenda at the meeting. Bar Harbor Update on Leaf and Grass Clipping Disposal BAR HARBOR — Bar Harbor residents will still have a place to throw away their leaf and grass clippings this summer. The town’s agreement with EMR in Southwest Harbor for disposing of those items will continue through November 30. The agreement, according to a town press release, will continue “while the Town continues evaluating long term composting solutions and the required state permitting process.” As of July 1, residents bringing their grass and leaves across the island to the facility in Southwest Harbor will have to fill out a property registration card. Each property can throw out up to 85 pounds of the grass and leaves. “Any disposal exceeding the 85 pound allowance during this period will be the responsibility of the property owner at the applicable disposal rate,” the press release explains. LINKS TO LEARN MORE Watch the meeting Meeting agenda QUICK NOTE: We’d released the Bar Harbor Leaf information as a brief, but wanted to make sure that people saw it, so we’ve included it here, too. HELP SUPPORT THE BAR HARBOR STORY When we started The Bar Harbor Story, we didn’t know if anyone would read it. But you showed up. You shared. You sent tips. Now—over 400,000 views every month later—it’s clear: people here care about their community and each other. We’ve kept everything free because news should never be out of reach, but every one of our stories takes time to write, and your support keeps The Bar Harbor Story going. If you value our work, please consider a paid subscription, a founding membership, or a sponsorship. It truly helps us cover one more meeting, tell one more story, shine one more light. Even $5 a month makes a difference. Click here to become a one-time supporter now. Thank you so much for being here. Founding member information can be found here. Have questions about sponsorships? Just send Shaun an email at sfarrar86@gmail.com, he’d love to hear from you. Subscribe Share Bar Harbor Story Share Leave a comment
Columbia scientists discover surprising link between serotonin and heart valve disease
Scientists have uncovered evidence that serotonin, the chemical best known for regulating mood, may also speed the progression of a common heart valve disease in some people. The research suggests that patients with degenerative mitral regurgitation who take SSRI antidepressants and carry a specific genetic variant may develop severe valve damage sooner, potentially requiring surgery at a younger age.
China targets Namibia’s oil, uranium and lithium in fresh strategic partnership
China and Namibia have signed agreements covering energy, critical minerals and infrastructure as Beijing strengthens ties with one of Africa’s fastest-growing resource economies
Virginia Climbs to No. 3 in CNBC's 2026 Top States for Business — Here's What Moved the Needle
Gov. Spanberger credits strategic investments and affordability gains, while a methodology change rewarding infrastructure does some of the heavy lifting.
Virginia climbs to third spot in CNBC ‘Top States for Business’ rankings
Gov. Spanberger touts legislative agenda and workforce development measures, along with years-long infrastructure projects as contributing factors.
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
Meta Weighs Renting AI Compute as Cloud Business Takes Shape
Zuckerberg says strong demand for AI computing power could support cloud services and premium infrastructure deals.
Political Candidates Have An Opening on Clean Energy
Democrats and Republicans have a once-in-a-generation opening to advance a clean energy agenda, writes David Kieve.
The Wasteland Calls Again: Obsidian Entertainment Reportedly Working on New Fallout Title
Bloomberg reports that Obsidian Entertainment is in early development on a new Fallout game, with New Vegas director Josh Sawyer leading the project. The move comes as Xbox restructures its studios and pivots toward major franchises, reportedly cancelling an Avowed sequel and implementing layoffs at Obsidian.
Trump seeks to limit funding that doesn't 'advance' presidential policies
Proposed in late May, the rule would give political appointees unprecedented control over federal grants for research, education and infrastructure.
Colorado tumbles to No. 25 in CNBC's business rankings
Colorado's biggest decline came in infrastructure as the state fell to No. 25.
Bayer Secures 3.0 Billion Euros to Improve Capital Structure
Apollo to invest equity capital into an entity holding Bayer’s long-acting reversible contraceptives business Bayer to retain majority stake in and…...
The biggest drag on Virginia’s business ranking is Trump
CNBC's business rankings showed Virginia's economy was still ailing from DOGE cuts, though it got high ratings for infrastructure and education.
Meta’s Zuckerberg Says Exploring AI Cloud Business Makes Sense
Meta Platforms Inc. needs all the computing power it can get, Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said, but in a market starved for resources necessary to run and develop artificial intelligence products he’s also considering whether some of Meta’s AI infrastructure could be more valuable if rented to outsiders.
RI falls to 48th in CNBC’s annual business friendliness rankings; Mass. is 15th
Rhode Island’s poor infrastructure was a key reason it dropped even lower on the TV network’s yearly list.
Trump envoy warns China's power move at sea is threat 'we cannot afford to ignore'
US Ambassador to UK Warren Stephens warned that China is weaponizing port infrastructure and supply chains as tools of political coercion against nations.