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Perspective: Abandoning business
For businesses in our industry and similar sectors, the recent primary results were an alarming wake-up call that many read as “get out of Dodge, now.” To say that the results in both the Democratic and Republican primaries were surprising and disturbing to many in the business community would be an understatement. On the Republican […]
Scientists have found another alarming pattern in wildfires
Around the world, the conditions that brew massive blazes are...syncing up?
Scientists set out to learn how climate change affects wild meadows—with alarming results
“It’s a profound change in the ecosystem."
Bengals Get Alarming Joe Burrow Message Before Training Camp
The Cincinnati Bengals put all their chips on the table to end their playoff drought this upcoming 2026 season. After signing free agents Jonathan Allen, Boye Mafe, and Bryan Cook, Cincinnati then made the blockbuster trade for Dexter Lawrence II. After three straight seasons of missing the playoffs, the Bengals made aggressive moves to show […] The post Bengals Get Alarming Joe Burrow Message Before Training Camp appeared first on HEAVY.
Mom-and-Pop Business Owners Grapple with Harsh Times
Report shows small business owners in NYS less optimistic about the economy. Taxes, inflation, labor costs and competition from larger businesses are major concerns right now, they say By Aaron Gifford [caption id=attachment_11067 align=alignright width=300] Ashley Ranslow is director for New York state at The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB).[/caption] Owners of mom-and-pop businesses in New York state have been less optimistic lately than their peers in other parts of the country, a recent report indicates. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), based on a survey of 11,000 of its members in the Empire State, reported that taxes, inflation, labor costs and competition from larger businesses are major concerns right now. “Indeed, while taxes are a major problem in New York and the United States overall, New York small businesses notably are struggling more with the state’s onerous, multi-level tax burden,” Ashley Ranslow, NFIB’s director for New York state, said in the July report. Compared with surveys of business owners in other states, far fewer New York respondents rated their businesses as in excellent or good health. The report also said labor costs here are about 25% higher than the national average and are the “single most important problem” facing businesses. One respondent to the New York-specific survey complained that too much red tape, taxes and laws that restrict high-yielding companies have stifled their operation’s growth. Others said high disability and workers’ compensation insurance costs, alarming increases in utility rates and excessive building regulations are discouraging. Statewide, New York has a gross domestic product of $2.53 trillion (third in the nation, followed by Texas, $2.90 trillion; and California, $4.25 trillion), a per capita income of $90,500 (sixth) and an unemployment rate of 4.6% (34th). There are 2.4 million small businesses that employ 3.9 million people. [caption id=attachment_11112 align=alignright width=451] Member of the Greater Liverpool Chamber of Commerce gather at one of the several functions the chamber organizes monthly. “Everyone in this business community encourages each other to shop local. Everyone just wants to see each other succeed,” says Megan Wilmot, the chamber director[/caption] “New York state boasts one of the largest, wealthiest and most diverse cities in the world — and that’s still only about half the state’s population,” the report said. “In other words, the state is both its iconic city and so much more — geographically, demographically, economically. But New York is not without its challenges, challenges that include notably high taxes and other weaknesses that impact the small business environment,” it said. The report includes an optimism index that compares responses from New York (NFIB) members with those of their peers in other states across several categories. This ranges from plans to increase employment to expectations for higher sales, to plans to increase inventory or expand. The scores for Empire State business owners were lower in most categories, but they did score higher than the national average in noting that they have current employment openings, and that they are hopeful that the economy will improve. “The metrics so far paint a picture of a state with a series of challenges for small businesses, from a slightly below national average Optimism Index to a more seriously below national business health to very substantially below national Employment Index. What is going on with businesses that are creating these differences?” the report stated. In Central New York, the regional labor force comprises nearly 398,000 workers. The median household income here is $71,463, and the gross domestic product for the region last year totaled $61.3 billion, according to the CenterState CEO economic development and research organization. About half of the region’s labor force works for small and mid-sized businesses, although the number of people employed in that sector has decreased by 7% since 2010, according to CenterState’s 2026 economic forecast report. “While record-high employment in large-scale enterprises provides a strong foundation for Central New York,” the report says, “the long-term health of communities depends on a thriving small business sector to serve as a stabilizer.” Area employers identify several barriers to Central New York’s anticipated growth, including lack of specialized or skilled workers, government regulations, unaffordable housing options and long-term construction disruptions. In the city of Syracuse, the number of jobs in retail trade decreased by 1,500 or 4.7% between July 2025 and this past July. By contrast, the number of jobs in the leisure and hospitality sector increased by 2.5% or 700 jobs, in the same annual period, according to the New York State Department of Labor. Still, there’s plenty of interest for new businesses across Central New York. U.S. Census figures show that the number of applications for new businesses in all four counties increased significantly in the past 20 years. In Cayuga County, there were 324 applications in 2005 compared to 470 last year. In Madison County, the number increased from 385 to 480; Onondaga County, from 2411 to 4132; and Oswego County, from 553 to 836. Downtown Cazenovia is exemplary of Madison County’s trend: In the past year, the village welcomed a bait shop, a thrift store, a vitamin infusion center, a pizzeria, a Pilates studio and an Italian restaurant. A candy store is scheduled to open on the main drag in the months ahead. Oswego’s list of interesting new businesses in the past year includes a bubble tea shop, a hot dog eatery in Fulton, a specialty grocery store that features New York state products in Mexico, a beauty and esthetics studio in Hannibal and a hardware and farm supply store in Sandy Creek. In Onondaga County, the Liverpool area has also enjoyed a steady stream of new shops and eateries in recent years. That suburban community is unique in that, unlike neighboring communities, most of the restaurants are family-owned and not part of a national chain. [caption id=attachment_11116 align=alignright width=300] Megan Wilmot is the executive director of the Greater Liverpool’s Chamber of Commerce.[/caption] Megan Wilmot, executive director of the Greater Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, said independent business owners in her community maintain a strong sense of pride in holding their own against national companies. The chamber helps boost morale with red carpet events, ribbon cuttings, coffee hours and five-year anniversary celebrations for participating businesses. “We have built such a strong community,” Wilmot said. “Everyone in this business community encourages each other to shop local. Everyone just wants to see each other succeed.” In Syracuse, the downtown retail occupancy rate last year was about 82%, a slight improvement from 2024, according to the Downtown Syracuse Committee’s most recent annual report. Buildings with the largest amount of vacant space included The Galleries, One Park Place, and Equitable Towers, though not all of those spaces are designated for retail use. New businesses that opened in downtown Syracuse last year: Better with Time Clothing, Dakshin Curry & Biriyani, Havana Tattoo Society, Milano Bean Café, Miss Daisy, Pausa Coffee, Sweets for Babe, The Society CNY and Yafah Beauty Studio. The Destiny USA mall’s occupancy rate decreased from 80% in 2023 to 72% by the end of 2024, according to Integra Realty Resources. That leaves more than a quarter of the mall’s retail space vacant. “Looking ahead, the retail market is expected to see minimal rent growth, with vacancy rates likely remaining stable in community and neighborhood centers but continuing to rise in enclosed malls,” Integra’s report said. “New construction activity is low and redevelopment plans for former malls like Shoppingtown and Great Northern are still in the planning stages. The proposed Micron chip plant may spur development, but challenges remain in finding co-developers for large-scale projects.” Nationally, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce expects that small businesses will remain resilient and see their sales and revenues eventually improve. That organization, in a recent national survey, found that 25% of small business owners expect the economy to improve in 2027, while 45% indicated that they plan to increase employment in the next 12 months. And 69% said they believe their small business is in good shape and 70% said they are comfortable with their current cash flow. Thirty-one percent of small businesses reported raising their prices in July and 28% are planning to raise their prices within the next three to four months, the report said. Twelve percent indicated that this is a good time to expand their business. “Small business owners voice optimism for future revenues and hiring,” the report said. “High costs continue to be a wet blanket on reinvestment.” The NFIB reported in July that Main Street, despite gas price hikes, “is OK … for now.” Its small business economics trend report said sales across the country have been strong compared to last year, but continued inflation and higher prices from mom-and-pop establishments are causing some “cracks” to show. “If costs stay this high for much longer, reduced investment will have a tangible economic impact,” the report said. “The status quo is OK, but the outlook? The outlook is uncertain.”
Borussia Dortmund teenager Konstantinos Karetsas returns to training after Champions League health scare
Borussia Dortmund says 18-year-old midfielder Konstantinos Karetsas is back in training just over a week after he slumped to the ground in an alarming medical incident on his Champions League debut.
Independent report finds alarming violence at state prisons
The state commissioned this independent review in January 2025.
Google's CEO Was Asked If Companies Should Plan for 'Zero' Search Traffic — His Answer Was Alarming
The Google CEO sat down with The Verge and got pressed on whether websties should plan for the death of search traffic.
Trump, 79, Sets Alarming Medical Record as Health Concerns Mount
A top doctor called the revelation “extraordinary.”
James Van Der Beek’s death highlights alarming colon cancer rise in younger adults
"Dawson's Creek" star James Van Der Beek's colon cancer battle highlights alarming rise in cases among younger adults. Learn the warning signs he missed.
Toxins plus climate harms likely cause of reduced fertility, study finds
Researchers find ‘alarming’ effect on fertility across global species from simultaneous exposures
'Alarming' - does WSL have a homegrown problem?
The London City Lionesses raised eyebrows with no English players in their starting line up against Manchester United, but is there a wider trend?
'Nations need to prepare now': Key Atlantic ocean current is much closer to collapse than scientists thought
An alarming study claims the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation is weakening more than than believed previously. But experts say its findings are far from the final word.
Trump wants Republicans to ‘nationalize’ US elections. The Constitution might get in the way
A wide array of election experts say President Donald Trump’s call for Republicans to “nationalize the voting” is an alarming and potentially dangerous escalation of his continued efforts to transform how US elections are administered.
Concerns over rise of targeted political violence after WH Correspondents’ Dinner shooting
Saturday night’s shooting is the latest incident in what is an alarming rise of targeted political violence in recent years. NBC News’ Kelly O’Donnell reports.
Scientists Have Detected Something Deeply Alarming at the Bottom of the Ocean
"It has implications for extreme weather events in North America and Europe."
'Pretty stunning': Data shows political division is a top concern for Americans
'Common Ground': UNITE CEO Tim Shriver analyzes the alarming rise of political polarization in America on 'Special Report.'
Unfortunately, the iPhone 18 Pro is warping the Android world
Apple's influence, led by the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro, is seeping into the Android world alarmingly fast.
Report: 16 Nevada insurance carriers illegally give mental health care claims short shrift
A state lawmaker described the findings as “alarming” and a “disturbing realization” of how mental health care can be treated as second-tier to physical care.
Michigan House committee hears testimony alleging mold, drugs, lack of health care at women’s prison
Lawmakers heard alarming testimony Tuesday detailing years of alleged neglect, toxic mold, illegal drugs, and inadequate health care at Michigan’s only women’s prison, prompting calls for oversight and policy changes.
Villa's drop-off at home should now be alarming
Defender Tyrone Mings summed up the Aston Villa mood as he slumped to the floor at full-time following a 2-1 defeat at home by Nottingham Forest. Three defeats in their opening four games only leaves further questions for manager Unai Emery to answer following a summer rebuild. Villa may have ended a run of 372 Premier League minutes without a goal but their problems remain.
Will it kill off humanity? Computer scientists and politicians wrestle with risks of AI
Alarming warnings from industry insiders increase pressure for curbs on artificial superintelligence
Pirates Starting Pitching Depth is Alarmingly Thin
Down two starters in the rotation, the Pirates don’t have two viable replacements to fill in. Or even one, for […]
Kamala Harris joins calls for ‘slowdown’ in AI development
Former Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday warned of the “alarming speed” at which artificial intelligence is progressing, joining calls from some industry leaders for a “slowdown” in the technology’s development amid growing public concerns.
Bonus 228: The $1.776B Political Question
Every so often a story comes along that is so brazen, so cleanly emblematic of the moment we are living through, that staying quiet about it feels like a kind of complicity unto itself. Monday’s announcement by the Department of Justice that the Acting Attorney General has unilaterally created a $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” to compensate so-called “victims of lawfare” is one of those stories. And the reason I want to write about it here, in a newsletter ostensibly devoted to the Supreme Court and the law and politics surrounding it, is that I’m increasingly worried that we’re asking the wrong institution to save us from one of the most offensive, alarming, and anti-constitutional things we’ve seen from any president in American history. As I explain below the fold, the Anti-Weaponization Fund is not principally a legal problem awaiting a judicial fix. It is a shockingly egregious political abuse—the President suing his own government, purporting to settle with himself, and routing nearly $2 billion from the Treasury to his own supporters as a not-so-subtle (and not-so-formal) reward, if not an incentive, for political violence. And the Constitution’s answer to political abuses of this kind and magnitude is a political remedy, not a legal one. In his majority opinion in NFIB v. Sebelius (the Affordable Care Act case from 2012), Chief Justice Roberts defended the Court’s endorsement of Congress’s power to adopt the individual mandate by noting that it is “not our job to protect the people from the consequences of their political choices.” As much of a judicial supremacist as I am, that sentiment is, for better or worse, an entirely correct (and, in the long term, normatively desirable) institutional assessment. One can believe in substantial judicial power without believing that literally every political dispute in our country can and should be resolved by unelected judges. The real upshot of this latest headline (among so, so many other similar headlines) is that it is past time to reinvigorate impeachment—not because conviction is realistic in this Senate, or even because impeachment itself is feasible in this House, but because forcing every member of Congress to vote on the record whether this brazen, corrosive, and affirmatively dangerous corruption is impeachable is itself a point worth fighting for (and fighting with our friends over). Assuming the courts will save us absolves our political leaders of both responsibility and accountability for allowing this kind of mischief to continue, and it absolves all of us of our responsibility to refuse to tolerate those who would just as quickly shrug their shoulders and move on. For those who aren’t paid subscribers, we’ll be back (no later than) Monday with our continuing coverage of the Supreme Court. For those who are, please read on.
Spotted lanternflies are invading the US. They may have gotten their evolutionary superpowers in China's cities.
The alarming spread of spotted lanternflies across the U.S. has been made possible by cities acting as evolutionary incubators, fine-tuning the insects and enabling them to thrive.
As a Virtual Boy owner I can confirm the Switch 2's NSO offering is alarmingly accurate and an essential history lesson
Nintendo's Virtual Boy is coming to Switch, and we've tested it and compared to experience with the real thing.
Ocean Heat Waves Are 'Supercharging' Hurricane Damage, Scientists Warn
"This is shocking but should also be alarming for people.”
Scientists sound alarm on World Oceans Day as Trump axes deep-sea monitoring
The United States has removed hundreds of deep-sea instruments used to monitor the impact of climate change on marine environments, alarming scientists as the United Nations marks World Oceans Day.
Whole Hog Politics: Republicans’ alarming nosedive with white working class voters
[Watch Whole Hog Politics live: Join us today at 9 a.m. EST at TheHill.com as Chris Stirewalt and host Bill Sammon break down this week’s political news and answer questions from a live online audi…
Reds Bullpen
The Cincinnati Reds' bullpen blew another lead Saturday in what is becoming an alarming trend
‘Really Alarming for Some Republicans in Competitive Seats’
Where the 2026 midterms stand right now, according to POLITICO’s reporters.
Many Ohioans believe pot is safe during pregnancy, alarming health officials
A survey commissioned by the OneOhio Recovery Foundation shows many pregnant women are misinformed about cannabis use during pregnancy.
Amid elevated disaster risks Tahoe cannot afford tourism business-driven governance
Local and state governments in 2026 are under more pressure than ever to provide services. These new realities and an uncertain summer came into sharp relief recently in Nevada. During the state’s joint interim standing Government Affairs meeting, lawmakers received an alarming update from Nevada’s head of Emergency Management and Homeland Security about strained disaster […]
Waves of lawsuits and internet tracking: CIPA in the digital age
Small businesses are getting sued at an alarming rate for violating internet privacy laws, with one law firm fielding over 500 lawsuits alone citing the California Invasion of Privacy Act.
Trump takes extraordinary steps to target midterms, alarming critics
Trump's election moves include a redistricting push, seeking to restrict voting and floating a $5,000 payment to every American adult if the GOP wins.
National Academy of Sciences experts denounce Trump’s NSF board purge
In an open letter, thousands of researchers criticized the White House’s firing of the research agency’s board as ‘an alarming attack’ on U.S. science
Steelers' Broderick Jones Has Alarming 'Weight' Worry
A lingering neck injury and significant offseason weight loss leave the former first-round pick’s status in doubt as he fights for his future during a pivotal contract year.
Throwing 85 mph, Brandon Woodruff leaves start in second inning
Brandon Woodruff's velocity was alarmingly low, leading to the Brewers taking him out early on April 30
Whistleblower Raises Alarming Possibility About Mail Ballots
An unnamed federal official warned that the Postal Service’s moves to comply with a Trump executive order could “derail” the midterms.
San Diego County sues ICE after it blocked health inspection at detention center
San Diego County is suing the Trump administration, alleging it illegally blocked officials from inspecting ICE detention centers.There have been ‘alarming reports’ about unsafe conditions inside the centers.
Alarming study finds top chatbots more likely to repeat falsehoods from the left: ‘Truly astonishing’
ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude were more likely to fall for political falsehoods from the left, while Grok skewed right, a new misinformation study found.
Dortmund teenager Karetsas is back in training after health problems in Champions League
Borussia Dortmund says 18-year-old midfielder Konstantinos Karetsas is back in training just over a week after he slumped to the ground in an alarming medical incident on his Champions League debut. Karetsas passed the ball to a teammate then signaled his distress to the referee before sitting on the grass during Dortmund's 3-2 win over Villarreal on Sept. 8. “Konstantinos Karetsas is back in team training as of Wednesday after doing individual sessions at the start of the week,” Dortmund said.
“AI polls” are fake polls
A few weeks after Donald Trump’s second presidential win, I took the train up from London (where I was living at the time) to Oxford to attend a conference on polls and forecasts of the 2024 election. Most of the attendees were pollsters or academics, but I also watched presentations from Aaru and Electric Twin, two companies that do what is interchangeably called synthetic sampling, silicon sampling, or synthetic audiences. Stripped of startup jargon, that means they use large language models (LLMs) to simulate responses to public opinion polls by having AI agents take on the role of survey respondents. I had already heard of Aaru thanks to some articles with eye-catching headlines like “No people, no problem: AI chatbots predict elections better than humans” in the months leading up to Election Day. The founders were making some big, some might even say far-fetched claims, such as: “within two years, we will simulate the entire globe — from the way crops are grown in Ukraine to how that impacts production of oil in Iraq, trade through the strait of Malacca, and elections for the mayor of Baltimore.” When Semafor asked Aaru’s cofounders — Cameron Fink and Ned Koh — about my boss, they said “we respect all those who came before us.” Nate (as he so often does) shared his thoughts on Twitter: Fink and Koh were relatively good-natured about this back-and-forth when we spoke at Oxford. They even offered to mail me one of the t-shirts featuring Nate’s quote they apparently had made. I never took them up on the offer, which I now somewhat regret. These synthetic sampling companies fell off my radar for a while, but they do still exist. In fact, Aaru recently received a $1 billion valuation. Is what they’re doing anywhere close to the most important frontier in AI development? Not by a longshot, especially when Anthropic just developed a model so adept at exploiting software vulnerabilities that it’s only being released to 40 companies. Still, silicon sampling is increasingly finding its way into public polling. Axios reported in March that “a majority of people trust their own doctors and nurses” based on findings from Aaru — without mentioning that the “people” in that sentence were actually LLMs. Around the same time, the Public Sentiment Institute “boosted” their online sample of 373 real survey respondents with 114 AI agents.1 (Spoiler alert: even the co-founder of Electric Twin doesn’t think that’s a particularly defensible approach.) Polling companies like Qualtrics and Ipsos are also developing synthetic data panels. So, what should we make of these … “polls”? Let’s get one thing out of the way: whatever they are, they’re not polls in the way that term is usually defined. Subscribe You can’t replace polls with AI On one hand, using LLMs to essentially make up fake survey respondents sort of sounds like the dumbest idea ever, one that will at best imperfectly replicate real polls while introducing all sorts of biases. On the other hand, with LLMs improving at a remarkable, perhaps even alarming rate, maybe that means I’m a dinosaur at the ripe old age of 24 because I still want to rely on polls that talk to actual people. I’m not going to argue that synthetic samples are completely useless. In fact, as I’ll return to later, there is evidence that some techniques can replicate topline survey results quickly and cheaply. But the marketing from certain companies can be slightly optimistic. “No traditional poll will exist by the time the next general election occurs,” said Fink in 2024. We’re just 206 days away from the midterms, and based on the fact that I still have to collect a bunch of polls every day, I’d say he should have run that prediction by a sample of AI agents before the interview.2 To see why synthetic samples can’t replace polls, here’s a quick primer on how they work. The simplest version of these models involves taking a LLM (like ChatGPT or Claude), giving it a demographic profile (e.g., a white, college-educated woman who lives in Utah and makes $70k a year), and then asking it to respond to a survey question. You repeat that process a few thousand times using different demographic profiles and end up with a sample of synthetic survey responses. The actual models used by private companies are more sophisticated than this, usually because they incorporate more hypothesized demographic characteristics for each agent and provide them with extra information. Aaru, for example, feeds agents a diet of news and information they’d be likely to consume, while Electric Twin incorporates their customers’ proprietary data about the audience they’re trying to replicate. The way Ben Warner, the co-founder of Electric Twin, explained it to me was “we have a large amount of data on […] for instance, 5,000 people. Can we make an accurate prediction of how they would respond to another question?” Still, it should be obvious why synthetic samples can’t replace polls. Polling is fundamentally a data collection process. We might use surveys to make predictions by feeding them into election forecasts, but the main purpose of a poll isn’t prediction, it’s gathering new data about what people think and how they feel. Silicon sampling, on the other hand, produces no new data. It’s simply a model: you input LLM training data, demographic prompts, and a bunch of other information, and it spits out a prediction for what a poll would say. We love models here, but models aren’t polls. That difference is an important philosophical sticking point for most pollsters I talk to. “I think politics should stay away from [synthetic sampling], because we’re trying to […] represent the voice of the people,” said Natalie Jackson, a vice president at GQR Insights. Democratic pollster John Hagner told me: “I think I’m just incredibly skeptical of this idea. I don’t think it’s research. At that point, you’re asking the machine to tell you what you already believe.” Hagner has seen some presentations of early synthetic sampling experiments, but so far, “if it’s being used in a campaign, people are keeping it incredibly quiet.”3 But Eli, I hear you saying, aren’t polls themselves increasingly governed by modeling decisions? Indeed they are: pollsters’ choices on which sampling method to use, how to define their likely voter models, and how to weight their samples can and do lead to dramatic differences in the results they publish. Aaru even referenced these limitations in the methodology statement included with that maternal mortality “poll” — although I’m using the term “methodology statement” loosely here, because it doesn’t really explain how the model works at all. We can ignore the (frankly preposterous) implication that synthetic sampling isn’t subject to a separate set of biases. The important point is that there’s still a meaningful difference between using weighting and other statistical techniques on actual polling data and using a model to predict what a poll would say. The latter is far closer to election forecasts or techniques like MRP — potentially useful models, but not a replacement for polls.4 To be fair, other synthetic sampling companies are perfectly happy with the distinction between polls and models. Warner compared polling and synthetic sampling to different tools in a toolbox. “The mistake I think we make is we think that these new tools should either work in exactly the same way or somehow replace these old tools,” he said. “Rather than thinking of it as, okay, so we’ve always had the hammer, we’ve always had the screwdriver, now we’ve got a saw. But don’t use a saw to try [to] do the job of a hammer.” A quick comment from Nate Eli didn’t ask me for a comment — rather rude of him, don’t you think? But since I’m editing this story, I figured I’d add a few quick thoughts rather than putting words in his mouth. Beyond the frequently misleading marketing, what bothers me about the AI “poll” hype is that as AI tools make statistical inference cheaper and/or better (note that these are not synonyms) that actually increases the comparative value of collecting original data. You might be able to train a model to make a reasonable estimate of what some hard-to-reach poll respondent would say — say, a young Black man who voted for Trump. (Such a person checks a number of boxes for a voter who is usually hard to reach in surveys.) Indeed, this is closely related to what models like the Silver Bulletin forecast already do. They essentially smooth out the kinks in noisy survey data by making inferences based on past voting patterns or national polls or surveys of other states. But you don’t actually know what these voters think unless you’re reaching them directly. If there’s a shift in opinion among this subgroup, you’re not going to detect it. So if I were running a campaign, I’d invest more in going the extra mile to find a representative sample of those voters. And then I’d hire some smart quants — or Claude? — to figure out the implications for campaign strategy based on proprietary data that my competitors didn’t have access to. -Nate Silver Are these models any good? If synthetic surveys are just a new type of model, the next obvious question is whether the models are at least accurate. The answer very much depends on who you ask. On one end of the spectrum, you have the maximalist argument that synthetic sampling is more accurate than actual polls. “It’s an incredibly challenging problem to go to someone and say ‘hey, we’re going to be more accurate at predicting human behavior than you, even when you talk to your customers directly’,” Koh recently told CNBC. In his view, synthetic sampling isn’t a saw to polling’s hammer, it’s “magic.” There’s certainly evidence that synthetic samples can replicate certain survey toplines. But if Aaru does have any examples of their approach outperforming the polls, they’re keeping those to themselves.5 Aaru’s 2024 election model, for example, had Kamala Harris leading in Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin on November 4th. And although they’ve since taken down their forecast page, they gave Harris a 50.5 percent chance of winning the race on November 2nd.6 After the election, Fink told Semafor he was happy enough with those results because they were “within margin of error,” a term that is completely meaningless when applied to a “sample” of AI agents. And of course, Aaru says their models have improved since 2024, so supposedly now they’d be more accurate than the polls? Still, their stronger argument is on cost: “We are significantly faster and cheaper than traditional polling, and still more accurate,” said Fink. The first two claims are undeniably true, but the third brings us to the opposite end of the spectrum. Both Jackson and Hagner are skeptical that these models are reliable for anything beyond replicating common survey toplines. “I just […] don’t think the machines are what we want when we’re looking for nuanced views. My example on this is people in Arizona and Nevada in 2024 who voted for Trump and voted for expanding abortion in their states on ballot initiatives,” said Jackson. Hagner identified another issue. Maybe the synthetic respondents, like sycophantic LLMs, are inhuman in one important way: they’re too nice. “The reports that have come through at the meetings that I’ve been at are that the early experiments on this, they cannot get respondents to be as racist or sexist or, frankly, as negative as human respondents,” he said. Academic research mostly agrees on this point. While there are some papers that show promising results when using LLMs to replicate polling data, most show that LLMs suffer from various quirks like producing too few “don’t know” responses and can seriously overpredict the favorability of politicians like Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. They also seem to struggle with too little variation between demographic subgroups, so the difference in predicted opinion between Democrats and Republicans, for example, is too small. When I asked Warner about these studies, his response to these papers was that just because academics can’t get synthetic sampling to work doesn’t mean that the technique doesn’t work in general. “Actually, the argument is, okay, yours does not [work]. That does not mean […] for this complex set of machinery, which uses a lot of investment, a lot of time, a lot of money, you can’t get it to work.” Cards on the table, I’m somewhat sympathetic to this argument because academics aren’t exactly great at making election forecasts. Usually, the people with skin in the game are the most accurate. Warner’s argument is that the approach Electric Twin takes — which includes, for example, making multiple predictions for each synthetic respondent using different models and prompts and subsequently averaging those to get a final prediction in a sort of ensemble forecast — produces better results than the simpler academic models. Warner shared a comparison between his method and the method from a recent academic paper with me, and Electric Twin was indeed able to get more accurate replication. But even still, he acknowledged that synthetic sampling “is not a crystal ball.” “If you asked me, do I think using other data sources will be more accurate than asking somebody who they will vote for, I would probably say no. But if you asked me ‘would your system be useful for our turnout modeling today?’ I would say yes.” For better or worse, it looks like the method is already getting more popular in the market research world. Most of the clients Aaru touts these days are businesses like EY and McDonald’s. And AI will probably begin to pop up in other parts of the political polling process. Pollsters are already using it to code open-ended survey responses, and some firms, like YouGov, are testing using LLMs to ask survey respondents questions. More worryingly, one danger to actual polls is that AI agents can be used to infiltrate online surveys. Most online polls use various checks to prevent that from happening, but there’s conflicting evidence on how effective those filters are and how prevalent AI agents currently are in online panels. If those agents ever become impossible to detect, it might spell the end of online polling, but the solution isn’t to replace all of your respondents with ChatGPT. Silver Bulletin is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a subscriber. Subscribe 1 That particular poll obviously doesn’t meet Silver Bulletin standards for aggregation. But we exclude all Public Sentiment Institute polls from our averages because we classify them as an amateur polling firm. 2 You could argue that Fink meant the next presidential election, but (a) I’m also confident we’ll still have real polls in 2028 and (b) in that case he should have asked an LLM to define “general election.” 3 Quick caveat: that’s reporting from a Democratic pollster. It’s possible that Republicans are more willing to use AI in political campaigns. 4 Indeed, Silver Bulletin does not include “polls” produced by MRP in our forecasts or averages, and we think it’s extremely misleading when their practitioners describe them in a way that suggests original data had been collected among a large number of states or Congressional districts. 5 A recent report from Aaru and EY did show two examples of a synthetic estimate being closer than a survey to a real-world benchmark — but I’d take those findings with a grain of salt because the report reads more like an ad and didn’t involve any sort of prediction being made ahead of time. 6 For comparison, our odds for Harris on the same day were 48.2 percent.
Breaking Down the A's Alarming Trends Heading Into the Break
From Emerson's firing to Suarez's emergence, a look at what's driven the A's collapse since June 15 — and which storylines could carry into the second half
Scientists Say a Critical Ocean Current System May Already Be Past the Point of No Return
Scientists have long debated whether the AMOC is nearing collapse, but the latest findings are certainly alarming.
Is the FDA Really Suppressing Science? Plus. . .
It’s Thursday, May 7. This is The Front Page, your daily window into the world of The Free Press—and our take on the world at large. Today: Aaron MacLean says Trump is poised to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in the Iran war. Joe Klein on the life of CNN founder Ted Turner. Jillian Lederman on why cruise ships are here to stay. And much more. But first: Is the FDA suppressing science? On Tuesday, The New York Times published a story with an alarming takeaway. “FDA Blocked Publication of Research Finding Covid and Shingles Vaccines Were Safe,” read the headline. It is the latest in a string of stories that all have the same message: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and other agencies, are engaged in a cover-up—and silencing scientists trying to get the word out about the Covid vaccine. What all these stories suggest—some more subtly than others—is that the outsiders now running the public health establishment, officials such as Marty Makary at the FDA and Jay Bhattacharya at the National Institutes of Health, are on a revenge tour. That they are doing harm to the country to get back at the scientists and bureaucrats who ostracized them for deviating from the public-health consensus during the pandemic. It’s a seductive narrative. But is it true? That’s the question we address in our latest editorial. —The Editors Read [ Marty Makary's FDA Has All the Right Enemies ](https://www.thefp.com/p/marty-makary-vaccine-study-fda) [ Trump Blinks First ](https://www.thefp.com/p/iran-peace-deal-pakistan-trump-strait-of-hormuz) Aaron MacLean In return for no detectable concessions, President Trump this week gave up on forcing open the Strait of Hormuz. Now, the Trump administration looks desperate for a deal to end the war with Iran. It’s easy to understand the desire to end the war, but are they blowing the chance at victory? Aaron MacLean makes sense of the administration’s latest moves—and Iran’s response—in his column today. Read full story Aaron MacLean and Niall Ferguson: Live in New York City Join Aaron MacLean and Niall Ferguson on May 19 for a live recording of School of War at the iconic New York Historical. In a conversation as timely as it is wide-ranging, Aaron and Niall will explore the strategic stakes of the moment, including the Middle East, China, and the future of American leadership on the global stage. Get Tickets Now [ Ted Turner, the Optimist Who Built CNN ](https://www.thefp.com/p/ted-turner-cnn-tribute) Joe Klein The man who gave us CNN and the 24-hour news cycle, Ted Turner, died Wednesday at the age of 87. Today, political writer Joe Klein—who almost ghostwrote Turner’s autobiography—remembers his friend, the American media mogul who stood out for his idealism and lack of a filter—something that got Turner in trouble more than once. “His was not a traditional intelligence, but one of horizon: Ted saw things before other people did,” Joe writes. Read full story [ Nothing Can Sink the Cruise Ship ](https://www.thefp.com/p/cruise-ship-hantavirus) Jillian Lederman A viral outbreak on a cruise ship that left three passengers dead has left some people wondering: Are cruise ships on the way out? Not so fast, says Jillian Lederman, who has been on many a cruise herself. Read her piece on why 38 million people a year take a cruise—and aren’t about to stop. Read full story [ The Great Writers Who Were Terrible People ](https://www.thefp.com/p/the-great-writers-who-were-terrible) Shilo Brooks Throughout history, some of the greatest literary geniuses have also been immoral bigots. In the latest episode of Old School, Shilo Brooks is joined by Eli Lake for a conversation about those geniuses, from Voltaire to Norman Mailer and Roald Dahl—and why we should read their work despite their odious prejudices. Listen on MORE FROM THE FREE PRESS [ Inside the Digital Intifada ](https://www.thefp.com/p/digital-intifada-social-media-hamas-terror) Warren Kinsella Read full story [ This Week in American History: Trump’s Over-Arching Problem ](https://www.thefp.com/p/this-week-in-american-history-trumps-over-arching-problem) Jonathan Horn Read full story [ Humanity Is Still Evolving—and Fast ](https://www.thefp.com/p/humanity-is-still-evolvingand-fast) Razib Khan Read full story THE NEWS Thirteen D.C. Metropolitan Police officers have been placed on administrative leave and could face termination after an internal investigation found evidence that crime statistics were manipulated to make the city look safer. The Republican-led House Oversight Committee previously alleged that former D.C. police chief Pamela Smith pressured officers to skew data. Tennessee Republicans unveiled a redrawn U.S. House map yesterday that would split up Memphis’s black-majority Democratic district, the latest move in a nationwide push to redraw congressional boundaries ahead of the midterms. The effort follows a Supreme Court ruling last week on Louisiana’s districts, which Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton said gave states the green light to redraw maps along partisan lines. Israel struck Beirut for the first time since a ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect last month, saying it targeted a commander of the militant group’s elite Radwan force in the city’s southern suburbs. The strikes risk destabilizing that truce at a delicate moment, as Iran and the U.S. report progress toward a deal to resolve their own standoff. The U.S. Air Force is aiming for a Fourth of July delivery of a Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar, hoping to add it to the Air Force One fleet in time for the U.S.’s 250th anniversary, Reuters reported. (For more on the controversy surrounding the aircraft, read Jed Rubenfeld’s piece “It’s a Terrible Idea, but Trump Probably Can Accept a Free Jet from Qatar.”) Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testified privately before Congress that he has no memory of why he and his family dined on Jeffrey Epstein’s private island in 2012, according to Reuters. The admission contradicts Lutnick’s earlier claim that he had cut ties with the convicted sex offender well before that visit. Weeks before a former JPMorgan investment banker filed a lawsuit packed with explosive allegations, the bank reportedly offered him $1 million to settle his sexual assault and harassment claims, according to The Wall Street Journal. The suit, filed by Chirayu Rana, alleges he was sexually assaulted by a female colleague, subjected to racial discrimination, and forced into a degrading dynamic at work. JPMorgan says the claims lack merit, and the female colleague’s lawyers call the accusations fabricated. A new report from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research shows that, for the first time in roughly 20 years, church attendance is trending upward, with more people volunteering and clergy expressing renewed optimism. The study’s authors described the findings, based on a survey of more than 7,400 congregations, as showing signs of widespread recovery from low attendance numbers.
Will it kill off humanity? Computer scientists and politicians wrestle with risks of AI
Alarming warnings from industry insiders increase pressure for curbs on artificial superintelligence
Why you should wash new clothes before wearing; signs that you are aging well; effective leadership in health care; plus other stories with Vanderbilt Health sources
Jami Miller, MD, Professor of Clinical Dermatology, and David Gaston, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, are quoted in a Southern Living piece about the importance of washing new clothes before wearing them. Dyes, chemicals, mold and bacteria are all potential troublemakers lurking around your new duds. Parul Goyal, MBBS, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, was quoted in a Huff Post story outlining signs that you are aging well. Tae Kon Kim, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, was interviewed by Healio for a story headlined, “Effective leadership in health care ‘starts with listening.’” AAMC News reporter Patrick Boyle interviewed Wes Ely, MD, Professor of Medicine and Critical Care, for a story about ICU delirium. PharmaVoice reporter Kelly Bilodeau interviewed Romney Humphries, PhD, Vice Chair and Executive Medical Director, Clinical Services, for a story about the CDC’s new data that shows an alarming increase in the prevalence of a gene that can make “nightmare bacteria” significantly harder to treat. American Community Media interviewed William Schaffner, MD, Professor of Preventive Medicine, for a piece about Ebola that was reused by several media outlets around the U.S., including The Mississippi Link. Stacie Dusetzina, PhD, Professor of Health Policy, was quoted by The Independent in a story about how Medicare will soon cover weight-loss drugs. Courtney Schadt, MD, Associate Professor of Dermatology, was interviewed by Tennessean reporter Beth Warren, about tanning safety and tanning fads circulating social media. WKRN News 2 interviewed Amanda Peltier, MD, Professor of Neurology, about the correlation between head trauma and ALS following the diagnosis of former Titans running back Chris Johnson.
'Needs to be moved to hospital now': Imran Khan's health in jail deteriorates
NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan President Arif Alvi on Tuesday raised the alarm over jailed ex-PM Imran Khan’s worsening health, saying his medical reports were “alarming” and pointing to anxiety, heart palpitations and high blood pressure.
“Shocking and surreal”: What scientists witnessed in the Arctic defies belief - Futura-Sciences
Frontline of Global Warming: The Arctic’s Alarming Transformation The Arctic sits front and center in the battle against climate change—and Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago at the heart of the region, is feeling its effects more drastically than anywhere else on Earth. In fact, this polar territory is warming six to...
Tracking tsunamis triggered by extreme weather
As much of Western Europe faced record-breaking temperatures and extended drought this summer, Croatia experienced another weather event that could also set a worrisome precedent.Over the course of two weeks, a series of meteorological tsunamis (meteotsunamis) struck Croatia’s Adriatic coast, alarming both residents and tourists. Social media posts showed flooded seaside promenades and people walking through knee-deep water. Fortunately, no deaths or major damage were reported.In a world where natural disasters seem to be increasing, meteotsunamis — tsunamis caused by rapid weather changes – rarely make headline news. But warming sea temperatures and changing atmospheric conditions may help explain why these phenomena could become more common, especially in shallower seas and inland lakes with wide coastal shelves.“We have definitely become more aware of them, and there have been a lot more reports of these events in the last 10 years,” says Jadranka Šepić, an associate professor of environmental physics at the University of Split whose research focuses on efforts to track meteotsunamis in real time. She is also one of Croatia’s ambassadors for Science Comes to Town (SCTT), a European Commission-funded programme aimed at making research more accessible to the public.Šepić sees two possible reasons for the apparent increase in meteotsunamis. One is that photos and videos shared on social media are providing more empirical evidence, while rising air and sea temperatures could also play a role. The geophysicist “cannot say with certainty” that warming is a contributing factor because research is still ongoing. “But I can say that previously in Croatia we might have had one exceptionally strong event every 10 or 15 years, and one strong event every five years, and within 15 days this summer we had five strong events,” Šepić notes. “This is not typical.”‘A fist against the sea surface’Unlike tsunamis that are triggered by underwater earthquakes or volcanoes, meteotsunamis are caused by sudden changes in atmospheric pressure combined with other rapidly developing weather events, such as thunderstorms. The effect “is like pushing a fist against the sea surface,” Šepić explains. The resulting oscillation intensifies as it reaches shallower water, and “can be far more destructive than a wind-driven wave because meteotsunamis are accompanied by very strong currents than can penetrate much deeper inland.” The meteotsunami, she continues, “then behaves the same as a tsunami — they slow down and grow as the sea shallows, and then grow further in places like harbours due to further shallowing and narrowing. When they come ashore, they can be very destructive — taking everything with them out to sea and then taking it back.”Croatian research institutions have tracked such sea oscillations since the 1930s because the relatively shallow Adriatic Sea is prone to meteotsunamis. The strongest recorded so far was in June 1978, according to the Adriatic Meteotsunami Catalogue, which is supported by the European Research Council (ERC), Croatian Science Foundation and the country’s leading research institutions. During that event, six-metre-high waves flooded the coastal town of Vela Luka on Korčula Island, causing major damage.Other meteotsunami “hotspots” in Europe include the Mediterranean Sea as well the Atlantic coastal shelves off France, Portugal and Spain. In June 2006, a meteotsunami with five-metre-high waves swept through the harbour of Ciutadella in Spain’s Balearic Islands, causing widespread damage to boats. Several less powerful events were reported in the Balearics and off the coast of Spain this summer, leading to some beach closures.Forecasting is challenging because of how quickly meteotsunamis can develop and their uncertain trajectory. Šepić is involved in two ERC-funded research projects — SHExtreme and MeD-Track — aimed in part at strengthening monitoring and real-time data collection. Access to accurate and immediate information is essential for early-warning systems.Early exposure to meteotsunamisŠepić first learned about meteotsunamis from her parents while growing up in Croatia. She later had the opportunity to investigate these events during her master and doctoral studies in geophysics at the University of Zagreb. The geophysicist has also conducted research at the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries in Split, the University of the Balearic Islands in Palma de Mallorca and the Institute of Ocean Science in the Canadian province of British Columbia.Projects like SCTT are important to raise awareness about research and inspiring young people to pursue studies and careers in science, notes Šepić. She credits her colleagues at the University of Split and the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries for their community outreach and engagement in the European project, which includes partner universities and institutions in Brest (France) and Kiel (Germany). As an example of town-gown collaboration, Šepić highlights her own university’s ‘Oceanographers on the Island’ programme. This initiative offers workshops and hands-on learning for children living on numerous Croatian islands.“It is a great privilege for Split to be involved in a project like Science Comes to Town, which is the first of its kind in the European Union," Šepić says. As for encouraging new generations of scientists, “This is a great effort, and I hope that we will see an effect in a few years.”Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.
Chicago's teetering debt is stark warning left-wing mayor is fueling 'pay later' doom cycle: expert
Expert Austin Berg warns Chicago's "pay later" debt culture under Mayor Brandon Johnson is alarming markets with a $1 billion budget gap and risky bond deals.
Teen's headache reveals alarming health risk for family: "Saving people's lives"
Does microwaving food make it unhealthy? What the science says
There is something about the microwave that makes it seem less wholesome than a stove. Perhaps it is the speed, the strange humming sound or the long-running fear that radiation somehow gets into the food. But when scientists look at what actually happens inside a microwave, the story is considerably less alarming. Microwaving food does not make it radioactive or inherently unhealthy. In fact, research suggests that, for many foods, microwave cooking can preserve nutrients as well as, or sometimes better than, conventional cooking. Scroll down to read more....
Hundreds of faculty members of University of California sign open letter on Maths and Science papers; says: We call for the reinstatement of
Hundreds of University of California faculty members have signed an open letter urging the UC regents and faculty leaders to restore standardized testing requirements for Math and Science applicants. The letter cites an alarming drop in Math skills since the tests were abandoned.
The Silent Crisis: Suicide Among Native Americans Reflects Global Mental Health Emergency
Overview: World Suicide Prevention Day, observed annually on September 10, highlights the global toll of suicide while drawing attention to the disproportionately high rates experienced by American Indian and Alaska Native people. AI/AN communities face the highest suicide rates of any racial or ethnic group in the United States, with particularly alarming rates among males, […]
Hantavirus: the risks, the science and what you need to know
On May 2, the World Health Organization got an alarming report: People aboard a ship in the Atlantic Ocean were falling ill. The culprit is now confirmed as hantavirus, a pathogen that some rodents carry that can infect humans in rare, but often deadly, instances. Multiple passengers have died, and more people are showing symptoms. So, we’re talking to Emily Abdoler, an infectious disease doctor at the University of Michigan, about the news – how common is hantavirus in humans, what are the consequences of getting it, and how can at-risk people protect themselves from it? If you found this episode interesting, listen to our episode on Rocky Mountain spotted fever.Interested in more science in the news? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
Colorado Jewish leader says antisemitism is ignored in both political parties when it comes 'from their own house'
Brandon Rattiner, senior director of Denver's Jewish Community Relations Council, tells Fox News Digital the Jewish community repeatedly warned that Melat Kiros' rhetoric on Israel was alarming, but says those concerns were dismissed.
Red Sox Continue Alarming Slide In MLB Farm System Rankings
Boston's farm system is trending in the wrong direction.
The Supreme Court seems alarmingly willing to trash thousands of ballots
At least four justices appear to be on board with a frivolous lawsuit attacking voting by mail.
Viewpoint: How the anti-abortion movement twists medical facts and promotes science misinformation
Misinformation and junk science about abortion are spreading at alarming rates and are becoming key components in legislation and litigation as well as in
Meta's Zuckerberg enters the prediction market arena
Mark Zuckerberg is launching his next major project: a betting platform modeled after Polymarket. The prospects for success are good, alarming experts.
Thousands of Scientists Sign Letter to Combat Science Board’s Firing
Thousands of Scientists Sign Letter to Combat Science Board’s Firing: The signatories, including more than 35 Nobel laureates, decry the “alarming attack on the ability of the US to engage in basic and applied research”
Common pesticide linked to hidden brain damage, scientists warn
Scientists have uncovered alarming new evidence that a common insecticide may leave lasting marks on the developing brain before a child is even born. Researchers studying New York City children found that prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos — a pesticide once widely used indoors and still used in agriculture — was linked to widespread brain abnormalities and weaker motor skills years later.
Dog food contains ‘alarming’ levels of lead, mercury and other contaminants
Commercial dog foods contain high levels of lead, arsenic, mercury, cadmium and plastic toxins, according to laboratory tests by a nonprofit organization.
How BPC is Building Bipartisan Momentum on Youth Mental Health
America’s youth mental health crisis didn’t begin with COVID-19, but the pandemic dramatically accelerated it. More than 40% of teenagers reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. Youth suicide attempts, self-injury, and drug overdoses climbed to alarming levels. Meanwhile, the behavioral health system meant to catch these young people remains chronically understaffed and poorly designed … Continued
Perspective: Abandoning business
For businesses in our industry and similar sectors, the recent primary results were an alarming wake-up call that many read as “get out of Dodge, now.” To say that the results in both the Democratic and Republican primaries were surprising and disturbing to many in the business community would be an understatement. On the Republican […]
Breast cancer is surging among Asian American women — and scientists don’t know why
Breast cancer is rising rapidly among Asian American women, with some of the most alarming increases occurring in younger women and in aggressive or advanced cancers. Researchers say screening alone can't explain the surge, suggesting important risk factors may still be undiscovered.
Scientists have found another alarming pattern in wildfires
Around the world, the conditions that brew massive blazes are...syncing up?
Girls Are Telling Us Why They Quit Sports. Are Adults Listening?
As girls leave sports at alarming rates, evidence points to one of the most powerful retention tools: supportive, well-trained coaches.
Trump administration seeks to overhaul federal grant-making process, alarming researchers
The Trump administration has released a sweeping proposal to overhaul the bedrock regulation for all federal grants.
The Alarming Consequences of Legal Sports Gambling
In his first book, "Everybody Loses," journalist Danny Funt ’15JRN explores the astronomical rise of a high-risk vice.
This Overlooked iPhone Setting Is Alarming Users. Here's How To Turn It Off ASAP.
"Having this on when you don’t need it is a bigger issue than not having it on," a cybersecurity expert said about the phone feature mentioned in several viral TikTok posts.
Trump wants Republicans to ‘nationalize’ US elections. The Constitution might get in the way
A wide array of election experts say President Donald Trump’s call for Republicans to “nationalize the voting” is an alarming and potentially dangerous escalation of his continued efforts to transform how US elections are administered.
Scientists finally reveal the shocking truth behind England’s dolphin deaths - Futura-Sciences
A Drastic Decline Along English Shores The dolphin populations along the English coastline have been disappearing at an alarming rate for several decades. Contrary to what many might hope, these aren’t dolphins simply seeking warmer waters elsewhere. The brutal reality is that this is not migration—it’s mass mortality. English researchers...
In 2025, US scientists poured 16,500 gallons of lye and bright pink dye into the Gulf of Maine, the first federally approved attempt to reverse the ocean's rising acidity
On an August morning in 2025, a research vessel in the Gulf of Maine released 16,500 gallons of sodium hydroxide (lye) into the ocean while a plume of bright pink dye spread across the water's surface. To onlookers, the vivid pink patch looked alarming.
Doctors Are Revealing Alarming Health Trends They're Seeing In Gen Z Patients
Turns out a few tiny changes in behavior can prevent some BIG issues down the road.
Questions are being raised about microplastics studies – here’s what’s solid science and what isn’t
Scientists question whether alarming reports of plastic particles in human organs are accurate or the result of laboratory contamination.
Perez Hilton's family shares new recovery update weeks after alarming livestream
Editor's Note: If you or someone you know may be experiencing a mental health crisis, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing or texting “988.”
What to know about the missing scientists alarming Congress
The cases date back to at least 2023 but national security concerns prompted a congressional investigation.
Senators Criticize Trump Administration’s Demands to Access Health Data as a Condition for Lifesaving Aid
Citing ProPublica’s reporting, eight senators wrote a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio questioning the administration’s approach to foreign health data. They said it could set an “alarming precedent.”
Professor says U.S. political violence used to be worse, and Oregon played a part
Political violence in the United States may feel uniquely alarming right now, but it is not unprecedented.
At 25, the big shift: why we are sure humans heat the planet - Futura-Sciences
The Early Hints: From Wild Theories to Alarming Accuracy The idea of planetary warming isn’t new—although it once sounded more like science fiction than established fact. Back in the 1960s, a handful of pioneering researchers began suggesting that greenhouse gas emissions from human activity could warm the climate. At the...
That preseason 'win' was alarming for the Titans, huh?
The Seattle Seahawks' backups went out and dominated in a preseason game that was embarrassing for Tennessee Titans' first-string units.
Is Palantir fit for UK consumption?
Supervillain or scapegoat? Controversial software firm’s inroads into British state systems are alarming to some
Gray knows the consequences if slump continues
The lack of consistency from Hibs is alarming, but not a surprise. Tuesday night's home defeat by Kilmarnock - Hibs' third successive league loss and sixth in a row at home in the Premiership - came after one of the poorest performances at Easter Road I can remember in recent years. The statistics show Hibs dominated possession and had more shots on goal than Kilmarnock, but they rarely troubled Max Stryjek in the visitors' goal.
A Security Researcher Decompiled The White House App, & What They Found Is Pretty Alarming
Recently, The White House launched its own official app on iOS and Android, claiming that it gives users "unparalleled access to the Trump
The No. 1 Heart Disease Symptom a Cardiologist Never Ignores in Her Own Body
A cardiologist at the Columbia Women's Heart Center shares the heart disease warning signs she looks for in her own body, including the most alarming symptoms besides chest pain.
Businesses fear for economy if Swiss vote to cap population at 10 million
Switzerland goes to the polls on June 14 to vote on whether to cap its population at 10 million people in a referendum some have likened to a "Swiss Brexit", alarming many businesses who fear an economic blow should the proposal succeed.
Spencer Strider exits game following alarming drop in velocity
This doesn’t look good!
Boston pledges millions to tackle alarming racial health disparities
Black men had the lowest life expectancy of any major demographic group at 72 years, more than nine years lower than men of other racial groups.
Scientists solved the mystery of missing ocean plastic—and the answer is alarming
Scientists have discovered that the ocean’s “missing” plastic hasn’t vanished—it has broken down into trillions of invisible nanoplastics now spread through water, air, and living organisms. These tiny particles may be everywhere, including inside our bodies, raising serious concerns about their impact.
Doctor Addresses Big Question After Trump, 79, Sets Alarming Health Record
Trump was probed by 22 specialists during a three-hour checkup.
Paul Mauro warns of social media's impact on political violence
Fox News contributor Paul Mauro, a retired NYPD inspector, discusses the alarming rise in political violence.
I didn’t mean to keep my daughter’s Christmas gift, but here we are: Jan Risher
In the newsroom lately, Jan Risher has sounded a lot like an infomercial — which is both out of character and mildly alarming. Turns out, her column this week is not a product pitch. It's a story about a Christmas gift and discovering there’s an easier way to carry things.
California wants to cap business tax credits, alarming life sciences and tech industries
California's life sciences industry, and some lawmakers, urge state leaders to reject budget proposal to permanently limit R&D tax credits.