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Chargers make flurry of roster moves
Los Angeles Chargers QB Trey Lance lands on IR as part of several roster moves
Jaguars Make Flurry of Roster Moves Before London Game
The Jaguars put the final touches on their roster for Sunday’s showdown with the Eagles.
Patriots Announce Flurry of Roster Moves Ahead of Raiders Game
New England placed two more players on injured reserve Saturday, adding to a growing list of absences ahead of Sunday's matchup with Las Vegas. How long can the Patriots keep relying on their “Next Man Up” mentality?
Inside Iowa Politics: the five-day flurry that led to $1.5 billion taxpayer commitment for proposed $15 billion Iowa steel plant
The five days that led to $1.5 billion commitment by Iowa taxpayers for new steel plant in Lee County.
Flurry of Lawsuits Shows Both Parties Preparing for Post-Election Challenges
Republicans are using the courts to hunt for noncitizen voters. Democrats worry the G.O.P. is trying make it harder for eligible voters to cast ballots — and paving the way to try to toss valid election results.
Donald Trump rips into Maria Elvira Salazar in flurry of Truth Social posts Saturday
Trump made several posts critical of Salazar who broke from the President on immigration policy.
How do you feel about Newcastle's start to the season?
As we enter the season's first international break, we want to hear your thoughts on the opening five games in the Premier League. It was a frantic summer and start to the season on Tyneside, as the Eddie Howe era ended and Matthias Jaissle joined amid a flurry of player exits and arrivals. Jaissle began with an encouraging draw against Liverpool but the 4-1 defeat at Leeds United was a sore one for everyone connected with the club.
Washington Commanders Announce Roster Additions, IR Designation
The Washington Commanders made a flurry of roster moves official on Wednesday, including one linebacker placed on injured reserve
The Latest: Supreme Court rejects Trump mail ballot restrictions ahead of midterms
The Supreme Court has rejected President Donald Trump’s bid to restrict mail ballots for the midterm elections, capping a flurry of last-minute legal action with voting already underway
Supreme Court rejects Trump mail ballot restrictions for now ahead of midterms
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday rejected President Donald Trump ’s mail ballot restrictions for now, capping a flurry of last-minute legal action
Kylian Mbappé says AI dictator memes show lack of political awareness
Kylian Mbappé didn't fully enjoy the flurry of AI memes depicting him as a dictator on social media during the World Cup.
Daniel Farke: A bit of a crazy game
Leeds United travelled to the capital to face Chelsea in the EFL Cup Third Round, where they were beaten after a flurry of second half goals.After the Whites' exit from the competition at Stamford Bri...
Seagulls must learn from slow start
It's been a busy start to the 2026-27 campaign for Brighton and Fabian Hurzeler must now begin to prepare for a packed schedule of domestic and European football. Although the Seagulls will wait until October for their Conference League league phase to start, Hurzeler's side has endured a flurry of mixed results in their opening five games of the season. After a bruising 4-3 loss at Stamford Bridge to transfer-foes Chelsea, Brighton were lucky to escape with a 1-1 draw at home to Leeds.
Canada's new tariffs target US cheese, honey, and hundreds of items
Canada is rolling out a flurry of new tariffs on US goods on Tuesday morning, adding levies of up to 50% on items like dairy and steel.
Browns Make new Flurry of Moves, Adjusting Practice Squad and 53-man Roster
The Browns waived Michael Coats Jr. from the 53-man roster, while adding several to the practice squad in several new moves.
Browns claim one, waive one, and add to practice squad
Cleveland has made a flurry of moves the day after cutdowns.
Cubs Announce Daniel Palencia Move Before White Sox Series
The Chicago Cubs made a flurry of roster moves ahead of their series against the Chicago White Sox. Among the moves the team announced was closer Daniel Palencia’s transfer to the 60-day injured list.Such a move is more procedural rather than anything. The Cubs needed to clear a 40-man roster spot for utilityman Owen Miller, […] The post Cubs Announce Daniel Palencia Move Before White Sox Series appeared first on HEAVY.
Iran Considered Retaliatory Strike on Ukrainian Seaport
A flurry of diplomacy has eased tensions, officials said, after an incident risked triggering a wider war.
Flurry of Pitching Developments for Nationals Through Monday
The Washington Nationals made a pair of roster moves, update on the newest pitcher to the rotation, plus a reunion in Nationals Park
Left-wing Democrats are riding high - but can they lure back swing voters?
They have seen a flurry of recent wins, but Michigan will test their ability to win back working-class voters in crucial states.
What’s in the last-minute flurry of health care bills?
Congress is scrambling to advance a slew of health care bills before an August recess. Price transparency and prior authorization top the list.
Edmonton Oilers procure 2 under-the-radar players of interest in July 1 flurry
Two players acquired on the opening day of free agency have little name recognition but could be vital to the club in the future.
Rangers bolster minor-league depth by signing Cholowski, Gawdin
With Wednesday’s flurry of NHL moves behind them, the New York Rangers added some help for their the American Hockey […]
Apple Creator Studio just got better, here’s what’s new
Apple has announced a flurry of updates for Apple Creator Studio apps rolling out today, plus previewed some iOS 27...
14 unique ways to celebrate America’s 250th birthday
Fireworks, hotdogs and summer blockbuster movies are Independence Day staples. But this year brings a flurry of unique and alternative events where Americans can come together, put aside our differences,
Recent rulings show that SCOTUS has ditched reason for politics
'The flurry of 6-3 decisions shows how SCOTUS has become a political body, not the judicial one the founders of our Constitution sorely aspired to,' writes an L.A. Times reader.
Trossard, De Bruyne score and Belgium defeats New Zealand 5-1 to advance at the World Cup
A flurry of late goals helped secure Belgium’s place in the knockout rounds, while New Zealand are heading home without a win.
Making Our Own Luck
We are cross-posting a piece that former NIH official Kris Willis wrote for Macroscience. Kris is now the President and Founder of the Woodley Park Institute, for which I’m a board member. Picking winners or hedging bets? Federal science agencies have long wrestled with the question of how to ensure their billions of dollars of grants and contracts result in maximum benefits for Americans. On the surface, it might seem that a goal-oriented, interventionist style of management would be the best policy: prioritize our most pressing problems and distribute funding accordingly.This top-down strategy creates a unique hazard, though: bad choices can send resources in the wrong direction, resulting in slow progress that impedes the delivery of tangible benefits to citizens. Moreover, if decision makers pursue an applied advance when the underlying scientific principles remain poorly understood, they risk costly failures and a loss of support for the research enterprise at large. Examples include Nixon’s 1971 War on Cancer, undertaken on the premise that a cure could be achieved in less than a decade, the drive to build an operational commercial fusion plant by the mid-1990s, and the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease, which failed to produce the effective treatments and prevention strategies promised by 2025. The contrasting laissez-faire approach is to hedge your bets. If the path to an advance is impossible to predict, then the wisest choice might be to distribute funding to as widely as possible. The main risk of this strategy is that spreading funding thinly may limit the resources available to the most promising research, resulting in the same negative outcomes as the interventionist approach: limited support for the most promising topics, slow progress, and delayed returns. In reality, at science agencies like the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health, program managers navigate between these two extremes, setting some funds aside to target high-priority areas and using the rest to cover the widest possible range of meritorious proposals. This middle path seems like the most rational way to proceed, but it still requires making choices. How much should be set aside for high priority topics? What should those topics be? How should we define merit? Expert opinion can provide a helpful guide, but leading experts can have remarkably different opinions about what matters and what should be prioritized. Moreover, experts and administrators alike can be risk averse, giving an edge to high-profile, well-established concepts. What’s really needed is a data-driven framework to help guide decision-making, one that doesn’t simply repackage prestige or incumbency. Recognizing breakthroughs years in advance Many breakthroughs fail to attract funding or recognition at the earliest stages of development. Katalin Karikó, for example, spent years struggling to win grants for work on mRNA that would eventually win her and Drew Weissman a Nobel Prize. Similar stories can be told about Jim Allison’s groundbreaking studies leading to the development of cancer immunotherapy, Stan Pruisner’s demonstration that prions can self-replicate without DNA, or Robin Warren and Barry Marshall’s proof that Helicobacter pylori, not stress, causes ulcers. Yet at some point, the scientific community recognizes and responds to transformative breakthroughs like these. How does that change happen? And what if science funders could identify the areas that are on the cusp of a breakthrough? Those questions led my collaborators and me to study how scientists responded to past breakthroughs. Based on patterns in that data, we developed a means of predicting future breakthroughs, using biomedicine as a proof of concept. It’s worth taking a moment to describe how our approach works. Briefly, our prediction process begins by grouping the 18 million or so peer-reviewed papers in PubMed, the authoritative database of biomedical research, into roughly 50,000 unique topics. A small subset of these topics are so widely acclaimed as breakthroughs that they have been recognized with a major prize like a Nobel or a Lasker Award. We theorized that studying the development of these outliers over time, especially before they gained acclaim, was the key to identifying future instances of them. After defining topics, we chose 21 representative breakthroughs and asked what they looked like before they won prestigious prizes. To answer that question, we re-ran our topic-mapping algorithm repeatedly, winding back the clock one year each time, stringing together the years to follow the progress of each field as it grew and advanced. We found that in each case, the years leading up to a discovery followed a pattern: a burst of papers on a new, rapidly evolving topic, many of which quickly became influential. These characteristics—the percent of papers that are new, the percentage of papers that are brought in from other topics, and the influence of each individual paper—can all be measured separately for any given topic. Together, they act as a predictive signal that is detectable an average of five years before a transformative discovery is made, and up to thirty years before the discovery receives a major prize. Scanning the current research landscape for topics that display this signal allows us to predict what work will likely produce a future breakthrough. Each year we analyzed includes four or five signals, a number that appears to have remained constant across a twenty year time frame. In their classic work on the sociology of science, Bruno Latour and Steve Woolgar established that the desire to participate in a major discovery is an important motivator for scientists as they consider whether they should take up (or abandon) a research problem. Although further work is needed, the simplest explanation for our results is that this behavior is widespread enough to detect at scale. A foundational advance, or something like it, draws the attention of scientists and causes them to change the direction of their research. They vote with their feet, staking their own reputation and careers by publishing on and citing the new idea. That upswell of interest is the foundation of our breakthrough signal. What kind of research does our model identify as a breakthrough? After building a model based on the patterns in our 21 preselected breakthroughs, we tested it by identifying all early signals of discovery from 1994 through 1997. Of the 18 signals we found in that time period, 17 can be traced forward in time to a breakthrough. Examples include super-resolution fluorescence microscopy (see the image above), the directed evolution of proteins and enzymes (Chemistry Nobel, 2018), and sequencing the human genome (National Medal of Science, 2008). The discovery of the role of leptin signaling in obesity is a particularly interesting case study. Around 1950, scientists noticed the existence of a type of lab mouse that suffered from a unique inherited form of obesity. When given the freedom to choose their own diet, these mice ate more than normal and preferred food that was high in fat. Researchers had few clues as to why the animals overate; early experiments pointed to the existence of a soluble ob factor found circulating in the bloodstream that regulated appetite, but its identity was unknown. In 1994, Jeffrey Friedman and colleagues identified and sequenced the ob gene, noting that the protein it encoded appeared to fit the profile of a circulating factor. A year later, a trio of high-profile publications demonstrated that ob was a hormone that regulated body weight and fat deposition by regulating appetite. One of these was co-authored by Friedman, who christened it leptin from the ancient Greek word for thin. Using our model, the data from 1996 make it clear this advance would become a breakthrough. Scientists had flocked to study the biology of the new hormone, generating the flurry of new papers and citations required to produce a signal. One of these demonstrated that serum leptin concentrations reflected the amount of adipose tissue in the human body, providing clinical validation of the earlier mouse studies. Before the identification of leptin, scientists were unable to point to a specific molecule that controlled appetite and adiposity, so that it was impossible to rule out non-physiological causes of obesity; its characterization fundamentally changed our concept of weight gain. In 2010, Friedman and fellow pioneer Douglas Coleman were awarded a Lasker for the discovery. Our work also identifies breakthroughs in clinical practice and behavioral and social sciences, even though these areas are less likely to draw the attention of major prize committees. One example that falls into this category is the introduction of endovascular aneurysm repair, a minimally invasive surgical procedure for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm, a leading cause of death among Americans over the age of 65. Relative to the previous standard of care, it reduces in-hospital mortality by almost four-fold. In 2017, Timothy Chuter received the American College of Surgeons’ prestigious Jacobsen Innovation award for his multiple refinements to the technique. Another under-recognized breakthrough identified by our model is the development of standardized survey instruments to assess the quality of life for HIV+ patients. The antiretroviral cocktails introduced in the mid-1990s reduced AIDS mortality, but treatment came with serious side effects. The new evaluations showed that patients whose disease progressed had worse physical functioning than Americans with other chronic diseases, while those who were asymptomatic maintained a health-related quality of life on par with the overall US population. This evidence made it possible for patients and activists to argue that even in the absence of a total cure, and in spite of the side effects, alleviation of symptoms was a worthwhile priority for clinicians. My colleagues and I have failed to identify any significant recognition for the physicians and health policy experts who pioneered this advance, although in 2016, researchers called for the World Health Organization to set targets for good health-related quality of life as part of its framework to end the AIDS pandemic. From forecasting to funding How should science funders use our predictions? Any serious discussion of what we should do with this new capability needs to begin with an understanding of its limitations. We can’t (and shouldn’t) invest all of our resources in the small number of topics predicted to produce breakthroughs. Innovative new fields are born from existing ones; they rarely arise de novo. If funders don’t maintain a diverse portfolio, the breakthroughs of tomorrow will have no antecedents. Think of this as eating the seed corn, or killing the goose that lays the golden egg. There are also multiple goals of funding beyond basic scientific discovery, including translating discoveries into clinical practice, developing new technologies, supporting economic development, and training new scientists. The investments needed to accomplish these goals are likely different from those required to support emerging breakthroughs. Finally, we must be aware that we may not capture every instance of a breakthrough. The concept is fuzzy, and not every significant discovery is recognized with a major award. Further, breakthroughs are rare, meaning that our dataset is, by necessity, small. This makes formal estimates of accuracy challenging. Although our overall success rate appears to be high, any one signal may turn out to be a false positive. We found one apparent example: the development of the third generation COX-2 inhibitors, Vioxx and Celebrex, which were much celebrated in the early 2000s as effective but non-addictive pain relievers, meets all the algorithmic criteria of a breakthrough. Five years after it received FDA approval, researchers demonstrated that Vioxx was associated with serious cardiovascular complications, and the manufacturer voluntarily pulled the drug from the market. Celebrex remains available, although like other NSAIDs, it carries an FDA warning for increased cardiovascular risk. Decision makers who were overly focused on the breakthrough potential of this research might have wasted substantial resources nurturing an area that ultimately proved to be a failure—but so would those who relied on expert opinion at the time. That said, the potential benefits of funding the next mRNA vaccine or cancer immunotherapy years earlier than we might have are large. When we can’t assume the outcome of an action, it’s worth conducting an experiment. Can targeted support for areas that are poised to produce a breakthrough increase the return on scientific investment without cannibalizing future advances? With the necessary administrative infrastructure in place, conducting this experiment would be straightforward. First, identify all the breakthrough signals between 2018 and 2023, select half at random, and commit to a decade of investment. For biomedicine, a six year window should yield about 30 topics with the potential to produce a breakthrough. Providing strong support to half of these might be accomplished for $300 million a year. That’s roughly half of the recent annual budget of the NIH Common Fund or around 20% of the fiscal year 2025 budget for ARPA-H. After five years, then again at ten, compare to see which group — the one that was actively managed, or the control — produced more breakthroughs, and on what timescale. Although we used biomedicine as an example, the same experiment could just as well be run for physics, materials science, or any other discipline. Any attempt to undertake such an experiment should keep three points top of mind. First, we can predict the topic of future breakthroughs, but the people and vision for how to move the work forward are still important. In practice, this means success requires active program managers with the expertise to develop the science and the authority to do so, including by recruiting investigators. Second, we would be wise to learn from the failures of past attempts to fund transformative research. High among these are funding modestly repackaged work, confusing the genuinely novel with the merely unfamiliar, and relying too much on incumbent investigators. All of these risks can be mitigated by thoroughly and intelligently integrating high quality data into portfolio management. Finally, we need to have patience. Even with strong funding support, producing a breakthrough takes time. If supporting breakthroughs is the best way to nurture the birth of new fields, we also need to accurately describe and properly manage the other two stages, so that we invest wisely throughout the productive lifetime of ideas and divest once they reach the point of diminishing returns. We would benefit from more study of all of these phases, especially the transition from one to another. More research could answer questions like: When does a breakthrough become an established field? How do the availability of funding, the size and characteristics of the available workforce, and the accumulation of evidence that disagrees with prevailing models affect a field’s decline? Exactly how do old ideas give birth to new ones, and can we speed up the process? The more we understand about the dynamics of scientific progress, the better we can maximize the odds that our curiosity leads to results. I’d call that finding a way to make our own luck.
Romeo Doubs' Exit Could Raise the Stakes for Jordan Love in Green Bay
Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers are eyeing a bounce-back campaign in 2026. The Packers opened the 2025 season with a strong start, posting a 9-3-1 record through their first 13 games, before a flurry of injuries derailed Green Bay's Super Bowl hopes. Since taking over as Green Bay's starter under center, the Utah State product has shown flashes of a top-five signal-caller, though the team hasn't yet made it past the divisional round under his leadership.
Apple Plans Camera AirPods Alongside Upgraded Foldable iPhone in 2027
Apple Inc.’s upcoming camera-equipped AirPods, a product meant to vault the company into the AI device market, is scheduled to launch in late 2027 as part of a flurry of new releases.
Springfield sees wave of new business openings in May
Springfield saw a flurry of business activity in May with new restaurants opening and multiple businesses closing.
Major pizza chain might sell business after closing 250 locations
The pizza dining industry is facing a flurry of mergers and acquisitions that could lead to multiple sales transactions in the upcoming months. Papa John's International's largest U.S. franchisee Nadeem Bajwa and investment firm Irth Capital are negotiating with the pizza chain to buy out the ...
Chris Nocco starts SD 21 campaign strong with flurry of conservative support
'He is a proven conservative leader who has always put families, public safety, and our community first.'
Seesaw rulings on Texas’ smokeable hemp ban is bad for business, retailers say
Some smoke shops say the flurry of court actions since March 31 has already forced them to scale back hours, cut staff and prepare to shut down.
How Mississippi politicians, advocates reacted to redistricting cancelation
Gov. Tate Reeves' decision to cancel the Mississippi Legislature's redistricting special session caused a flurry of reactions from politicians.
Trump shares post calling for Obama’s arrest
The repost on social media was among a flurry of late-night posts in which President Donald Trump railed against his political opponents.
Virginia Democrats ask US Supreme Court to let them use new congressional map
Democratic officials in Virginia asked the US Supreme Court on Monday to reinstate a congressional map that would benefit their party ahead of this year’s midterm elections, the latest map drawing appeal to reach the high court amid a flurry of mid-decade redistricting.
Cubs' New Bullpen Pieces Not Panning Out
A flurry of offseason bullpen signings has yielded mixed results for Chicago, as mounting injuries and inflated ERAs leave the North Siders searching for late-inning stability.
TNT Sports has been unexpectedly mum on 2026 French Open coverage
In 2025, TNT Sports took over broadcasting rights of the tennis‘s second grand slam of the year, the French Open at Roland Garros, from NBC. There was a flurry of excitement and a lot of information released beforehand on who…
Pols & Politics: Hundreds more layoffs announced by Massachusetts businesses
Hundreds of more layoffs are being announced by four Massachusetts companies as the Bay State has seen a flurry of outmigration by residents and businesses.
Pols & Politics: Hundreds more layoffs announced by Massachusetts businesses
Hundreds of more layoffs are being announced by four Massachusetts companies as the Bay State has seen a flurry of outmigration by residents and businesses.
UAE Employment and Social Reforms 2026: Modernization or Business as Usual?
A flurry of employment law reforms in the United Arab Emirates—a business-friendly area that remains firmly rooted in traditional values and national identity—in recent years has caught the attention of multinational employers and expatriates alike, but do these changes represent a genuine shift toward Western-style liberalization, or are they pragmatic adjustments designed to maintain competitiveness while preserving the status quo? Below are some of the key developments and what they mean for employers operating in the region.
State House moves forward with Health Dept. budget
LANSING — Two and a half months before the state’s budget deadline, members of the Republican-led Michigan House of Representatives unleashed a flurry of budget proposals from their respective subcommittees, including a three-part plan to fund the Department of Health and Human Services. With the department making up nearly half of the state budget, members […]
Wild 4 months of transformation continue for Iowa State athletics
It has been an absolute flurry of activity — lots of good, some trying and plenty to be determined — over four months in Ames.
Fact-checking Trump's claim that Pope Leo supports nuclear weapons in Iran
President Donald Trump issued a flurry of statements Sunday against Pope Leo XIV, saying in part that the U.S.-born pope supports Iran having a nuclear weapon. However, the pope has specifically spoken against nuclear weapons and their devastation.
Washington Nationals Announce Roster Moves After Waldichuk Injury
After some bad news was sprinkled into Sunday's win against the Brewers, securing the first sweep against the team since 2011 and first in Milwaukee since 2006, the Washington Nationals announced a flurry of moves ahead of the four game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Salmon sperm to bird droppings: The science behind bizarre skincare rituals
A flurry of bizarre skincare rituals are trending on social media. But does the scientific research suggest they can be taken at face value?
Salmon sperm to bird droppings: The science behind bizarre skincare rituals
A flurry of bizarre skincare rituals are trending on social media. But does the scientific research suggest they can be taken at face value?
Navigating the social media minefield
Scientists and researchers seeking to announce promising findings, exchange ideas or contribute to policy discussions outside of academic circles may find social media an expedient tool.But increasingly, scientists and other professionals are discovering that online platforms can be a double-edged sword: while sharing their work and expertise is crucial for visibility and meeting funder expectations, it also exposes them to baseless criticism and even accusations of spreading false information."It is getting harder and harder for scientists, and researchers in general, to convey their findings without facing attacks on their legitimacy and accuracy of their research," says Valère Ndior, a professor of public law at the University of Western Brittany in Brest, France, who has spent more than a decade studying misinformation on social media. Researchers attempting to challenge deceptive online information may themselves be accused of political bias or not being objective in their research, he explains, adding that some scientists disengage because they feel overwhelmed and unable to sustain meaningful dialogue. "It is quite sad to see in some instances that researchers end up leaving social media altogether because they feel like the pressure is getting too intense or feel threatened," he says.Ndior, a past president of the Francophone Network of International Law, is also involved in European efforts to make science and research findings more accessible to the public. As an ambassador for the Science Comes to Town (SCTT) project, he has participated in recent discussions on public perceptions of science and online misinformation. The European Commission-funded initiative connects Brest and two other cities — Kiel in Germany and Split in Croatia — and aims to strengthen ties between communities, universities and research institutions to promote science awareness and cooperation across Europe.Coordinated campaigns around contentious topicsNdior draws a clear distinction between critical thinking and thoughtless criticism. Yet he sees online discussions being increasingly shaped by suspicious behaviour and coordinated information campaigns — including "raids" aimed at dominating discussions and "astroturfing," where small groups act as larger movements to sway debates. Tracking these patterns has become harder because some platforms have restricted data or charge for it, despite provisions of the European Union's Digital Securities Act aimed at ensuring researchers can have access to such data. According to Ndior, "platforms became more reluctant from the moment access to data became a legal requirement rather than a voluntary initiative."Unfounded claims and scepticism about science existed long before Internet chat groups. But the noticeable rise in online hostility has intensified around contentious topics, such as the coronavirus pandemic and climate change, alongside the weakening of gatekeepers to moderate content.For Ndior, dubious claims about pandemic countermeasures and vaccine safety highlighted the struggle between "balancing freedom of expression and the protection of public health and order." Efforts to remove social media content deemed false or risky for public health triggered accusations of censorship and the silencing of legitimate discussion, and in some cases, legal challenges.Concerns about attacks on the credibility of scientists and researchers have generated a flurry of academic papers in recent years and prompted professional communities to address ways to counter online attacks. Such unease extends to the generation that has grown up with digital media. Ndior points out that his students, some of whom research artificial intelligence regulation, hate speech, online surveillance and other controversial topics, hesitate to share their work or viewpoints online. "Many of them don't want to expose themselves too much because they don't feel ready to be faced with the backlash of other people criticising their research," he explains.Safer harbours for engagementLegal challenges against false or defamatory posts are not necessarily a solution — especially given the trans-jurisdictional nature of the Internet. Lawsuits also take time and money, and if they fail, can be counterproductive. Instead, Ndior advises scientists and researchers to be selective in how and where they communicate. Professional online platforms and moderated discussion spaces offer a better environment for engagement. He also highlights the value of more traditional formats, such as radio interviews and in-person discussions at schools, libraries and science fairs, which encourage dialogue with the public. "Personal contact makes a big difference," he says, while acknowledging that these approaches lack the global reach of social media.Ndior’s interest in digital law and online misinformation stems from his time as a doctoral student in international law in the early days of social media. He began analysing posts from governments and heads of state to determine if they could be considered official and thus used as evidence in litigation. His work attracted media attention and led to conference and speaking invitations. "This was not part of my plan," he says, "but this is what happens as a researcher — your interest is sparked by a certain event or phenomenon, and it suddenly becomes your focus."Ndior believes SCTT provides "a double benefit" for researchers, enabling them to connect with peers and interact with the public. "There is a wide community of people who are not in academia who are critical thinkers looking for opportunities to ask questions, to get information and contribute their ideas,” he says. "I really value that kind of feedback."Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.
Navigating the social media minefield
Scientists and researchers seeking to announce promising findings, exchange ideas or contribute to policy discussions outside of academic circles may find social media an expedient tool.But increasingly, scientists and other professionals are discovering that online platforms can be a double-edged sword: while sharing their work and expertise is crucial for visibility and meeting funder expectations, it also exposes them to baseless criticism and even accusations of spreading false information."It is getting harder and harder for scientists, and researchers in general, to convey their findings without facing attacks on their legitimacy and accuracy of their research," says Valère Ndior, a professor of public law at the University of Western Brittany in Brest, France, who has spent more than a decade studying misinformation on social media. Researchers attempting to challenge deceptive online information may themselves be accused of political bias or not being objective in their research, he explains, adding that some scientists disengage because they feel overwhelmed and unable to sustain meaningful dialogue. "It is quite sad to see in some instances that researchers end up leaving social media altogether because they feel like the pressure is getting too intense or feel threatened," he says.Ndior, a past president of the Francophone Network of International Law, is also involved in European efforts to make science and research findings more accessible to the public. As an ambassador for the Science Comes to Town (SCTT) project, he has participated in recent discussions on public perceptions of science and online misinformation. The European Commission-funded initiative connects Brest and two other cities — Kiel in Germany and Split in Croatia — and aims to strengthen ties between communities, universities and research institutions to promote science awareness and cooperation across Europe.Coordinated campaigns around contentious topicsNdior draws a clear distinction between critical thinking and thoughtless criticism. Yet he sees online discussions being increasingly shaped by suspicious behaviour and coordinated information campaigns — including "raids" aimed at dominating discussions and "astroturfing," where small groups act as larger movements to sway debates. Tracking these patterns has become harder because some platforms have restricted data or charge for it, despite provisions of the European Union's Digital Securities Act aimed at ensuring researchers can have access to such data. According to Ndior, "platforms became more reluctant from the moment access to data became a legal requirement rather than a voluntary initiative."Unfounded claims and scepticism about science existed long before Internet chat groups. But the noticeable rise in online hostility has intensified around contentious topics, such as the coronavirus pandemic and climate change, alongside the weakening of gatekeepers to moderate content.For Ndior, dubious claims about pandemic countermeasures and vaccine safety highlighted the struggle between "balancing freedom of expression and the protection of public health and order." Efforts to remove social media content deemed false or risky for public health triggered accusations of censorship and the silencing of legitimate discussion, and in some cases, legal challenges.Concerns about attacks on the credibility of scientists and researchers have generated a flurry of academic papers in recent years and prompted professional communities to address ways to counter online attacks. Such unease extends to the generation that has grown up with digital media. Ndior points out that his students, some of whom research artificial intelligence regulation, hate speech, online surveillance and other controversial topics, hesitate to share their work or viewpoints online. "Many of them don't want to expose themselves too much because they don't feel ready to be faced with the backlash of other people criticising their research," he explains.Safer harbours for engagementLegal challenges against false or defamatory posts are not necessarily a solution — especially given the trans-jurisdictional nature of the Internet. Lawsuits also take time and money, and if they fail, can be counterproductive. Instead, Ndior advises scientists and researchers to be selective in how and where they communicate. Professional online platforms and moderated discussion spaces offer a better environment for engagement. He also highlights the value of more traditional formats, such as radio interviews and in-person discussions at schools, libraries and science fairs, which encourage dialogue with the public. "Personal contact makes a big difference," he says, while acknowledging that these approaches lack the global reach of social media.Ndior’s interest in digital law and online misinformation stems from his time as a doctoral student in international law in the early days of social media. He began analysing posts from governments and heads of state to determine if they could be considered official and thus used as evidence in litigation. His work attracted media attention and led to conference and speaking invitations. "This was not part of my plan," he says, "but this is what happens as a researcher — your interest is sparked by a certain event or phenomenon, and it suddenly becomes your focus."Ndior believes SCTT provides "a double benefit" for researchers, enabling them to connect with peers and interact with the public. "There is a wide community of people who are not in academia who are critical thinkers looking for opportunities to ask questions, to get information and contribute their ideas,” he says. "I really value that kind of feedback."Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.
Prediction market bets on sports, election, war would be verboten under new legislation
Lawmakers have introduced a flurry of measures to rein-in prediction markets in recent weeks, as the platforms have come under increased scrutiny.
Epic flurry: How Trump’s words on Iran have yo-yoed over three weeks of war
He has dubiously claimed Iran posed an “imminent” threat to the US, months after declaring the US had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities. He’s given a multitude of reasons for launching a war in the first place. He has declared victory scores of times, only to qualify those claims later on. Over the course of nearly a month, President Donald Trump has yo-yoed from demanding “unconditional surrender” to teasing a possible detente.
Top 5 most improved teams during NFL free agency, including the lowly Jets
After an initial flurry of moves, the NFL free agent market has slowed down. Here are the teams that have made the biggest improvements so far.
US farmers rush to sell crops as Iran war fuels rally
U.S. grain prices have surged since the Iran war began, triggering a flurry of corn and soybean sales by farmers who squirreled away last year's harvests due to weak prices.
‘OPB Politics Now’: Oregon lawmakers head home as 2026 legislative session ends
The short session ended with a flurry of legislation.
US intelligence community ramps up warnings of possible retaliatory attacks by Iran
The US intelligence community has issued a flurry of private warnings in the past week to American companies and government agencies urging vigilance and the hardening of possible targets of cyber attack by the Iranian regime in response to the war with Tehran, according to national security sources and memos reviewed by CNN.
New Castle County projects to watch, from housing to data centers
New Castle County will witness a flurry of development activity in 2026, with housing, retail and business projects on the horizon.
New MacBooks, the iPhone 17E, and more: everything we know about Apple’s March 2026 announcements
A flurry of news to start the month.
Politics Unplugged (Full Episode ) March 1, 2026
This week on Politics Unplugged, Surprise city councilman Johnny Melton expresses his concern that the federal government won’t talk to the city about a proposed ICE detention facility. Then, consultants Marcus Dell’Artino and Roy Herrera talk about the marathon State of the Union speech and break down the flurry of bills heard in the legislature this week.
ENG vs SL: Imperfect England dismantle error-strewn Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka's T20 World Cup Super Eight hopes faltered as they succumbed to a 51-run defeat against England, marking their 12th consecutive loss to the opposition. Despite a disciplined bowling effort restricting England to 146, Sri Lanka's batting collapsed spectacularly, folding for just 95. A reckless start and a flurry of wickets proved too much to overcome.
Valentine's Day rush boosts business at Rochester's Stever's Candies
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Valentine’s Day brings love and a flurry of activity to local businesses in Rochester. Stever’s Candies on Park Avenue is no exception. News10NBC’s Declan Stablow visited the shop to see how the holiday impacts business. Kevin Brocht, manager of Stever’s Candies, shared that Valentine’s Day is one of their busiest times of […]
Change is in the air for the Chicago Bears
The Bears have already undergone a few changes, and that’s before the flurry of free agency gets started.
From PopMart to JD.com: Britain and China rush to forge business deals as diplomatic thaw takes hold
Chinese firms moved to pledge hundreds of millions of investment in the U.K. as Starmer's visit to China spurred a flurry of business deals and money flows.
Check for ‘infamous crimes’ becomes common opposition research in Arkansas politics
There has been a flurry of litigation lately about Arkansas political candidates who may have committed crimes in the past. It's something that could get a candidate kicked off the ballot or thrown out of office.
ChatGPT's AI Health-Care Push Has a Fatal Flaw
OpenAI and Anthropic have both announced big plans to enter healthcare, with a consumer-focused tool called ChatGPT Health and a version of the chatbot Claude that can help clinicians figure out a diagnosis and write medical notes. Notably absent from this flurry of announcements is Google. Its Gemini chatbot is one of the most popular and capable, so why not jump into the lucrative health market too? Perhaps because Google knows from experience that such an effort can backfire spectacularly.
What comes next in plans for sports and entertainment district downtown?
The San Antonio City Council will get a briefing Wednesday about a flurry of major projects downtown.
Here they come again: Bayern run riot with stunning goals
Bayern Munich CRUSHED Wolfsburg this Sunday (11th) in the Bundesliga with a historic score: 8 x 1.And the biggest win of the competition featured a flurry of stunning goals, with highlights from the m...
Analysis: Trump doubles down on big goal bets in end-of-the-year flurry
President Donald Trump is spending the end of the year trying to cash in huge foreign policy bets on which thousands of lives may depend and that will define his attempt to wield decisive power far beyond American shores.
Leam Richardson Highlights Reading’s ‘Excellent’ Start In Plymouth Win
The Royals essentially had the game won 20 minutes in, thanks to a red card and flurry of goals.
Trump rings in Christmas Day with a flurry of posts denouncing perceived foes and casting doubt on the 2020 election
The president posted on Truth Social over 100 times overnight, also touting his own economic policies and efforts to end foreign wars.
2025 Unfiltered: Moments that marked Colorado’s decidedly off-kilter political year
From the flurry of executive orders that ushered in President Donald Trump’s second term to a blizzard of lawsuits filed by the state’s Democratic officials, the state’s political year was marked by near-constant conflict between the GOP-controlled federal government and the Democrats who run Colorado. The year saw the Trump administration step up immigration enforcement […]