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PNW First-Gen College of Business Student Honored for Persistence and Determination
PNW student Jaelyn McDuffie received a Golden Brick Award, celebrating first-generation student resilience, leadership and academic commitment.
Volcanic eruption may have sparked Europe's Black Death plague, scientists find
The plague killed between a third and half of the European population in the mid-14th Century. But it's unknown what triggered the pandemic.
Americans under 30 are ‘under profound strain’ and deeply mistrust institutions, poll finds
Young Americans are “a generation under profound strain” with little confidence in institutions and widespread economic concerns, according to a Harvard Institute of Politics survey of adults younger than 30 released Thursday.
His Group Made World-Class Measurements of Atomic Elements
Yuri Ralchenko led one of the oldest teams at the National Institute for Standards and Technology. The fate of some experiments hangs in the air.
The future of Veteran health: Dr. Jason Vassy on genomic medicine
A look at how VA is using genomics to guide smarter screening, treatment and prevention for Veterans, featuring Dr. Jason Vassy.
China’s unlikely new entertainment capital
Zhengzhou is emerging as the Hollywood of micro-dramas
Lions vs. Cowboys Prediction, Odds, Picks for Thursday Night Football
Preview the Week 14 matchup between the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys with predictions, odds, over/under, spread, betting lines and more.
2025 Heisman Trophy odds, favorites: Top candidates headline Big Ten title game
It's a three-man battle for the Heisman, but only two contenders will be in action this week
Watch live: House Democrats target Trump over health care, affordability
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee are holding a hearing Thursday morning on President Trump’s economic agenda: From rising health care pre…
Small businesses lead November job losses as tariff uncertainty weighs on hiring
Small businesses lost 120,000 jobs in November amid heightened economic uncertainty over tariffs and outpaced job gains at larger firms, according to the latest ADP employment report.
Latest Windows 11 updates may break the OS's most basic bits
: Microsoft warns Start menu, Explorer, and other XAML apps can crash or vanish on managed devices
ASRock puts extra DDR4 slots to its DDR5 H610M COMBO motherboard
ASRock H610M COMBO brings DDR4/DDR5 flexibility to business desktops ASRock has introduced the H610M COMBO, a Micro ATX motherboard for Intel LGA1700 that targets business and enterprise desktops rather than gaming builds. The board is based on Intel’s H610 chipset and a simple 3+1 power phase design, aimed at office PCs, industrial systems, and OEM […]
A simple oxygen hack creates 7 new ceramic materials
Penn State researchers created seven new high-entropy oxides by removing oxygen during synthesis, enabling metals that normally destabilize to form rock-salt ceramics. Machine learning helped identify promising compositions, and advanced imaging confirmed their stability. The method offers a flexible framework for creating materials once thought impossible to synthesize.
UK power grid’s £28bn upgrade approved to drive energy transition
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news
Fitterfly (a division of PB Health) Secures Patent for PGR Technology to Drive Better Diabetes Outcomes
Fitterfly by PB Health has secured the patent for its proprietary Personalised Glycemic Response (PGR) technology. This AI-led engine powers its Diabetes Care Programs and enables personalised, data-driven care at scale.
Incredible close-up of spider silk wins science photo prize
Duelling prairie chickens, a snake-mimicking moth and a once-a-year sunrise at the South Pole feature in the best images from the Royal Society Publishing Photography Competition 2025
Giant rotating string of 14 galaxies is 'probably the largest spinning object' in the known universe
A giant rotating filament of the cosmic web may be the largest spinning structure ever seen, and could help reveal how galaxies form.
Explore youth leadership opportunities in the Michigan 4-H Shooting Sports program - 4-H Shooting Sports
Learn about the teen leader program in 4-H shooting sports and how youth can become involved, have an impact on the program and develop leadership and life skills.
RWJBarnabas Health’s Mark E. Manigan and George Helmy Named 2026 BINJE Power Players
Mark E. Manigan, President and Chief Executive Officer, and George Helmy, Executive Vice President, Chief External Affairs and Policy Officer of RWJBarnabas Health, the largest, most comprehensive academic health care system in New Jersey, have been recognized as 2026 Power Players by BINJE. The BINJE Power Players List honors more than 100 CEOs, principals, managing partners and executive directors who are shaping the future of business in New Jersey.
Black women federal unemployment surges. Could the change be long term?
With the Trump administration's cuts to diversity programs and the federal workforce, it may be even more difficult for Black women to recover when economic conditions improve.
Memory giant Micron will exit consumer business
The company says it would rather focus on selling to AI companies.
Nominate a Small Business for the Crowns of Enterprise Awards
2026 marks the 15th year that the Crowns of Enterprise Awards will recognize the hard work of small businesses and the economic impact they have on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area. The winners will be named during an awards ceremony in May 2026.
Micron to exit Crucial consumer business (MU:NASDAQ)
Micron shifts focus to data center growth, exiting Crucial consumer business by Feb 2026.
Micron to exit consumer memory business amid global supply shortage
Memory chipmaker Micron Technology said on Wednesday it will exit its consumer business, as it doubles down on advanced memory chips used in artificial intelligence data centers amid a global supply shortage of the essential semiconductors.
Exclusive: Arcturus raises $2.3M to make 3D immersive replays for live sports
The startup includes veterans of Microsoft, Lucasfilm and NVIDIA.
Micron to exit 'Crucial' consumer memory business
Memory chipmaker Micron Technology said on Wednesday it has decided to exit its "Crucial" consumer business, including the sale of the unit's consumer-branded products at retailers, e-tailers and distributors worldwide.
Michele Kang takes on women’s sports’ most neglected need
With a $55 million pledge, Kang is committing to research the women’s sports world has waited decades for.
Scientists Just Tore Up a Major Particle Physics Theory
New results from the MicroBooNE experiment at Fermilab found no evidence of a hypothetical fourth flavor of neutrino
From micro-dramas to video games, Chinese entertainment is booming
But how much slack will the Communist Party give creators?
Ohio State OC Brian Hartline to take USF job: Buckeyes losing top recruiter
Ryan Day will be looking for a new Ohio State offensive coordinator once again
The Live Nation litigation minefield: lessons from a legal crossroads for the live entertainment industry and beyond
Attorneys at Michelman Robinson examine the recent convergence of private and government antitrust litigation against Live Nation and the potential implications for the live entertainment industry.
Microsoft warns latest Windows 11 updates might break the Start menu, Taskbar, and other integral UI bits — here's what you need to know
Windows 11 PCs that are targeting enterprise use may experience an issue where system-level UI surfaces and apps such as the Taskbar, Start Menu, and Settings app will fail to load or crash.
Scientists finally answer the question of when is the best time to shower
Showering in the morning keeps your skin cleaner and prevents unpleasant odors caused by night time microbes and bedding residue.
Flu shot protects against new variant, Michigan health officials warn
Michigan's chief medical executive says the vaccine 'reduces severe complications' of the flu, including hospitalization.
Michele Kang launches institute with U.S. Soccer to advance women’s sports research
Kang previously announced two separate investments in U.S. Soccer totaling $55 million.
Hims & Hers to Acquire YourBio Health, Pioneer Behind Advanced, Pain-Free Blood Sampling Technology
Acquisition Combines Hims Hers’ Leading Wellness Platform with YourBio’s Patented, Virtually Painless Micro-Needle Technology to Redefine the Future of Blood Sampling Hims Hers Health, Inc. (NYSE: HIMS), the leading health and wellness platform, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire YourBio Health, Inc., a Boston-based pioneer in capillary whole blood sampling technology. Powered by YourBio’s advanced blood sampling devices, the acquisition will help accelerate efforts to redefine and modernize the overall blood collection experience, making pain-free blood sampling the new standard. YourBio Health develops technologies designed to simplify the process and expand when, where, and how blood samples can be collected—including beyond traditional clinic settings. Its TAP® device, built on HALO™ technology, uses bladeless microneedles thinner than an eyelash to produce high-quality capillary blood samples in seconds, without the pain or
AMA is Investing in Physician Leaders to Improve Community Health
How would you use $50,000 to help patients in your community? The AMA’s Community Health Impact Lab Micro Grants Program is awarding $50,000 each to 20 physicians with big ideas on how to improve the health of their communities – and you could be one of them. The AMA is providing $1 million in grant funding to support physician-led projects focused on improving community health, with selected projects receiving $50,000. AMA's Community Health Impact Lab is looking to support innovative,...
Thames Water profits surge on higher bills; Prada buys Versace for $1.4bn
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news
Satellites Detect Seasonal Pulses in Earth’s Glaciers
From Alaska’s Saint Elias Mountains to Pakistan’s Karakoram, glaciers speed up and slow down with the seasons.
City, business leaders launch vision for Madison’s downtown future
MADISON, Wis. -- The City of Madison is beginning work on its new Downtown Area Plan in conjunction with Downtown Madison Inc.’s Greater Downtown Economic Investment Strategy as part of
Doctor and author turned social media creator: Former Colorado public official on posting science-based health content
After working as one of Colorado's top public health officials, Dr. Tista Ghosh advised Fortune 500 companies during the pandemic. Now, after writing a book, she's turned to spreading health information online.
Trump says Americans may soon pay ‘no income tax’ as White House explores alternative revenue streams
President Trump proposes eliminating income tax entirely, suggesting tariff revenue could replace traditional taxation in ambitious economic overhaul plan.
Bizjack's 29 lead Butler over Eastern Michigan 84-68
Led by Finley Bizjack's 29 points, the Butler Bulldogs defeated the Eastern Michigan Eagles 84-68 on Tuesday
Gut microbiome-mediated transformation of dietary phytonutrients is associated with health outcomes
Nature Microbiology - Systematic analysis and machine learning coupled with in vitro and in vivo validation link gut microbiome-mediated transformation of dietary phytonutrients to health outcomes.
Mulvaney addresses future of politics and populism at Brooks School event
Director Mick Mulvaney, the 2025–26 Nixon Distinguished Policy Fellow, delivered a keynote on the rise of populism in America to a full lecture hall of Cornell students, highlighting shifts in U.S. politics and engaging in wide-ranging discussion on contemporary policy challenges.
Microrobots in food science and technology
Nature Food - Microrobotics is an emerging innovation with promising applications in food safety, quality control and processing. This Review highlights recent advances in microrobotic design,...
Scientists Uncover New Evidence of Ancient Airbursts That Ravaged Earth Without Leaving Craters
Scientists are uncovering signs that Earth has been hit by powerful cosmic blasts that leave little trace on the surface yet unleash extraordinary heat and pressure.
Oregon’s governor unveils a ‘roadmap’ to business prosperity. Here’s what’s at stake
The blueprint comes as Oregon faces sluggish population growth, high housing costs and other faltering economic indicators.
Charlotte business leaders predict stronger economic growth in 2026
The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance held its annual forecast luncheon in Charlotte on Tuesday.
Michele Kang launches Kang Institute with U.S. Soccer
Billionaire Michele Kang is launching the Kang Women's Institute to study the needs of female athletes with U.S. Soccer.
Why the Best Health Brands Are Built on Trust, Not Marketing Gimmicks
For health and wellness founders, this skepticism isn’t a creative problem – it’s a trust problem.
NASA's PUNCH Tracks Comet Discovered by SOHO Spacecraft
From August to October, NASA’s PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) mission tracked comet 2025 R2 (SWAN) — one of the thousands of comets
Microsoft 365 Copilot Business: The future of work for small businesses
Microsoft announced the general availability of Microsoft 365 Copilot Business—a comprehensive, full-featured AI solution for SMBs. Learn more.
‘My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman’ Sets Season 6 Premiere; MrBeast, Michael B. Jordan & Jason Bateman Join Show
David Letterman is back with Season 6 of My Next Guest Needs No Introduction on Netflix. The former late-night host recently sat down with Jay Kelly star Adam Sandler for a special episode. That December 1 episode was not part of Season 6, which will premiere on December 16. It comes after Netflix renewed My …
David Letterman to Interview Michael B. Jordan, MrBeast and Jason Bateman on Netflix Show
The three-episode sixth season returns on Dec. 16.
NASA, ESA Sun Observatory Marks 30 Years
As ESA (European Space Agency) and NASA’s SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) turns 30 on Tuesday, a lot has changed in how we understand our Sun
Sick baby ants sacrifice themselves to save their colony
New research shows ill pupae emit a chemical signal before ever leaving their cocoons.
Meet Amar Subramanya, the 46-year-old Google and Microsoft veteran who will now steer Apple's supremely important AI strategy
“We are pleased to welcome Amar to Craig’s leadership team and to bring his extraordinary AI expertise to Apple," CEO Tim Cook said in a statement.
Business Trades Support Bank Capital Rule Reform to Boost Economic Growth
“Now is the time to modernize our capital framework to unleash economic growth for American businesses and consumers across the country.” WASHINGTON, D.C. — A coalition of leading business trade organizations urged prudential regulators to examine and modernize large bank capital requirements to ensure they support consumers, businesses, and the…
Kemp, state officials head to Panama for business development mission
Port Authority and Economic Development staff accompanied the governor and first lady to Panama.
Vaulted Deep Named "Best in Business" By Inc. Magazine for Scaling Critical Waste Infrastructure while Delivering Carbon Removal
Vaulted Deep has been named to Inc.'s 2025 Best in Business list for scaling the first commercial infrastructure for simultaneously managing organic waste while delivering permanent carbon removal. The recognition in the Best Startups category follows a year of growth across Vaulted's operations, infrastructure, and commercial traction. In 2025, Vaulted expanded its operating capacity, delivered more than 23,000 tonnes of verified CO₂ removal, and secured long-term agreements with Microsoft and
Michael and Susan Dell donate $6.25B to fund 'Trump accounts'
Michael Dell and his wife pledged $6.25 billion to support the new "Trump accounts" program giving American children $1,000 at birth plus additional bonuses.
Intensifying Regulatory Pressures Force Seismic Shift in Health Plan Concerns for 2026 According to HealthEdge Research
BOSTON, December 02, 2025--As healthcare organizations navigate an increasingly complex policy environment, 85% of health plan executives say regulatory pressures are impacting their costs and margins, according to new research published today by HealthEdge®. The report, "The Great Rebalancing: Inside the New Realities Shaping Health Plan Performance," identifies the top challenges in the payer market, how they are evolving, and strategies health plans are deploying to overcome them.
Economic warning sign: Holiday jobs are tougher to find
Holiday shopping will be missing something this year – as much seasonal help in stores to help shoppers as normal.
Lane Kiffin arrives in Baton Rouge, as the college football coaching carousel keeps going round and round
Michigan State, UCLA, Kentucky, James Madison, Northwestern all have coaches on the move
Michael and Susan Dell donate to encourage families to claim 'Trump Accounts'
The historic gift has little precedent, with few single charitable commitments in the past 25 years exceeding $1 billion.
Delayed Marvel Cosmic Invasion achievements finally arrive on Xbox
Marvel Cosmic Invasion is out now on Xbox Game Pass, and after an annoying delay, we can now reveal its list of Xbox achievements.
Microsoft’s latest Windows 11 update improves and breaks dark mode
The update was supposed to improve dark mode in Windows 11
Broadening Science and Bridging Divides in a Complex, Interconnected World
Investment in science is a pillar for any dynamic, equitable modern society, and promoting scientific literacy across all levels of society can help foster innovation, dialogue, and consensus that crosses disciplinary and cultural boundaries.
Windows 11 KB5070311 update fixes File Explorer freezes, search issues
Microsoft has released the KB5070311 preview cumulative update for Windows 11 systems, which includes 49 changes, including fixes for File Explorer freezes and search issues.
How the U.S. let ‘everywhere chemicals’ threaten your health
These chemicals continue to contaminate Americans’ food, decades after scientists recognized their dangers.
AI valuations heighten risk of ‘sharp correction’ in stock markets, Bank of England warns
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, as the Bank of England releases its Financial Stability Report
Lions vs. Cowboys Injury Report
See who's in and who's out for the Week 14 matchup between the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys on December 4, 2025.
Apple just named a new AI chief with Google and Microsoft expertise, as John Giannandrea steps down
The move is being characterized as a shake-up, but was seemingly inevitable in retrospect.
On World AIDS Day, New Jersey Reaffirms Commitment to Ending HIV Epidemic
On World AIDS Day, New Jersey Reaffirms Commitment to Ending HIV Epidemic
COVID-19 pandemic narrowed health care industry pay gap, new study finds
A new study finds that the COVID-19 pandemic narrowed the wage gap between high and low paid workers in the health care industry, as the lowest earners saw the biggest boost in pay in the years since the pandemic began.
Michigan State finalizes deal to hire ex-Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald to replace Jonathan Smith
Michigan State has its replacement for Jonathan Smith.
You can double your Switch 2’s storage with Samsung’s $40 microSD Express card
Store even more games.
What's Up: December 2025 Skywatching Tips from NASA
The 3I/ATLAS comet makes its closest approach to Earth, the Geminid meteor shower sparkles across the sky, and the Moon and Jupiter get close for a conjunction.
As political winds shift, top chipmaker TSMC looks beyond Taiwan
The lifeblood of Silicon Valley — advanced microchips — pumps from a science park on Taiwan's west coast, mostly from TSMC, the world's biggest chipmaker. But now the company is looking abroad for places to grow.
From Sidelines to Center Court
WSF conducted a three-year research initiative funded by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation focused on addressing access, engagement, and retention in sports for girls as well as the lack of women coaches working in the youth sports space. This research focused on the regions of Southeast Michigan and Western New York and has widespread […]
Even Microsoft’s retro holiday sweaters are having Copilot forced upon them
Microsoft has not one, not two, but three new sweaters available for $60 to $80.
Microsoft’s ugly sweaters return with Clippy, Xbox, and Zune brown options
All three holiday sweaters can be purchased at Microsoft’s company store.
Full-length Replay: Michigan vs Syracuse
The No. 6 Wolverines draw the Orange as the Hall of Fame Women's Showcase winds down in Connecticut.
Congress begins final session of 2025 with healthcare (and a dash of AI policy) on the docket
At the top of lawmakers' economic agenda is a promised vote on healthcare left over from the 43-day shutdown fight. Also being debated are two limited AI measures that have a last chance for action in 2025.
Survey: New York cellphone ban helping student engagement, teacher effectiveness
92% of respondents said the transition to the policy, implemented at the beginning of this academic school year, went smoothly.
College basketball rankings see Michigan soar in USA TODAY Sports coaches poll
A dominant performance in Las Vegas during the week of Thanksgiving has Michigan rising in the USA TODAY Sports men's basketball poll.
Strong Flare Erupts From Sun
The Sun emitted a strong solar flare, peaking at 9:49 p.m. ET on Nov. 30, 2025. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the Sun constantly, captured
Review: Marvel Cosmic Invasion (PS5) - Marvel's Most Fun Beat-'Em-Up in Decades
Beta Ray Brill
$3.5 Million Mindpath Health Data Breach Settlement Gets First Nod
A California Superior Court judge has given preliminary approval to a settlement to resolve litigation against Community Psychiatry Management, LLC, Mindpath Health has agreed to pay $3.5 million to settle a class action lawsuit stemming from a 2022 breach of its Microsoft Office email environment that exposed the protected health information of almost 194,000 individuals.
Exploring Denmark’s Tardigrade Fauna through Citizen Science
In a groundbreaking study that intertwines the realms of citizen science and systematic biology, researchers have successfully unveiled an intricate tapestry of tardigrade fauna residing in Danish cryptogams. Tardigrades, or “water bears,” are microscopic, water-dwelling ani
UT Health San Antonio pilot study explores ear acupressure for chronic pain relief in dementia care - UT Health San Antonio
One-year initiative to recruit 30-40 participants, and caregivers Contact: Steven Lee, 210-450-3823, lees22@uthscsa.edu Content by Claire Kowalick SAN ANTONIO, Dec. 1, 2025 – A new clinical pilot study will investigate training caregivers on the practice of ear acupressure to help with pain for people with dementia. The study at UT Health San Antonio, the academic […]
'Wonderful and kind' TV star stopped by multiple businesses in Peoria
The well-known actor was in town for the 2025 Illinois Comic Con and patronized local businesses.
Mapping the exposome: Science broadens focus to environmental disease triggers
After decades of intense focus on genetics, the biomedical research community is undergoing a major shift, focusing on a new framework called "exposomics."
New study finds cancer-linked compounds in common foods
Scientists have found that common foods can contain hidden contaminants formed during cooking or through environmental exposure. A new testing method called QuEChERS helps identify these chemicals more quickly and with greater ease. The research showed strong accuracy and high sensitivity across multiple food samples. This streamlined approach could improve food safety checks while reducing chemical waste.
Marvel Cosmic Invasion is another mighty brawler from Dotemu
Marvel Cosmic Invasion is the latest beat 'em up from Tribute Games and Dotemu, and it packs a punch thanks to a superpowered tag system.
The CNRS is breaking free from the Web of Science
From January 1st 2026, the CNRS will cut access to one of the largest commercial bibliometric databases, Clarivate Analytics'
Science must move from materialism to mystery
Theoretical physicist and neuroscientist Àlex Gómez-Marín argues that modern science has become trapped in a framework that mistakes matter for the whole of reality. In this wide-ranging interview, Gómez-Marín challenges the foundations of materialism, defends the scientific study of near-death experiences, and calls for a new type of science grounded in mystery and a renewed sense of the sacred. He suggests that abandoning materialism could open the door to a deeper understanding of consciousness, death, and the purpose of human existence. Simon Custer: You are both a theoretical physicist and a neuroscientist, and you have also been fiercely critical of materialist theories of mind and consciousness. What do you think the ultimate nature of reality is?Àlex Gómez-Marín: I don't know what the ultimate nature of reality is, but what I try to first assess is whether the stories that they [mainstream science] have told us about it are right, or maybe whether there are other alternatives. That's why I've been a fierce critic of materialism. As a scientist, I realized that they had sold us this idea that to be a good scientist you also had to subscribe to many other -isms, like materialism, reductionism, and even secularism. And so first I think one needs to unmount these -isms, and then, as is happening today in consciousness studies, we have a huge landscape where there isn't only one game in town, the idea that matter is the only thing that really exists. But because we are studying the hard problem of consciousness, it may be the case that other views of reality, like idealism, or even dualism, or other theories like dual aspect monism... these are philosophical ideas that now, I think, have room in science to be taken seriously. How does something like materialism relate to dualism or idealism? What is materialism in the first place?Well, materialism is the philosophical position that matter is the only really ‘real’ thing in the universe. And I think that worked kind of well because science started 400 years ago and Galileo made that split, I call it the foundational wound. It was a great business move.He said, let's start doing science on that portion of reality that lends itself more easily to mathematization and measurement. So, for some reason, the solidity of this table or the movement of planets lend themselves very well to this foundational idea of science. But as time went on, 400 years later, we realized that we had forgotten the other side, which is what really matters.What really matters is pain, is love, is feelings, sensation, consciousness, which is very hard to define, but very intimate. We all know what it is. It's that thing that disappears when we go into deep sleep and comes back in the morning. SUGGESTED VIEWING On the edges of knowledge With Michael Shermer, Rupert Sheldrake, Güneş Taylor It's what it is like to be, as Nagel said. It's the feeling of being alive. So, materialism is good to study certain things, but then when it ossifies into this ideology and then is dressed like science, now it's preventing us from understanding these key questions that are really that everybody wants to know.Why are we here? Why do we feel reality? Where do we go when we die? And so we need other ways. We need pluralism. I'm only asking for having more options on the table and taking them seriously. Why does materialism fail to explain consciousness? For example, if you were to lobotomize me, I would not be a functional human being. What do you say to someone who might think that materialism adequately explains the mind?Well, here we could speak about different things. We could talk about physics or about neuroscience. I happen to have training with both.For instance, for neuroscientists, 99% of them, I'm not included in that portion, believe that the brain can only be a productive organ. It's an organ that somehow, somewhere, consciousness emerges. It's like a lamp. And then something happens, magic happens, and then consciousness emerges.That's the position you need to be if you're a materialist because if the only really ‘real’ thing is matter, then you need to say, just give us some more time and money and we'll figure out how mind emerges or is produced from matter. There are many philosophically sophisticated ways of criticizing this.Now there's another option, which is the brain as a permissive organ. This was said by William James more than 100 years ago.Now then the brain wouldn't be like this machine, like for instance, a heat engine whose smoke is consciousness, which is what we would have in the first big model, the productive model. But in the permissive model, the brain would be a kind of a filter. And so the brain would still have a very important role in consciousness, but it wouldn't be a productive role.It would be permissive, much like a filter or much like a prism which would receive light. And - I'm speaking metaphorically - it would receive the light of the mind and then it could reflect it and refract it.Now, with these two big options on the table, I think we can make progress into what I call the edges of consciousness, which are all these experiences, weird experiences that many people have, but we don't talk about enough, like near-death experiences, precognitive dreams, synchronicities. These experiences are very important for humans and they have a place in the permissive hypothesis and they are literally impossible in the productive hypothesis. So that's yet one more reason to explore alternatives to materialism. There may be anecdotal evidence for near-death experiences, but is there robust evidence that would be accepted by the majority of scientists who subscribe to the scientific method?Sure. And the plural of anecdotes, someone said, is data.And there's a lot of data. Actually, this year is the 50th anniversary, half a century, since Dr. Raymond Moody realized that we have two ears and one mouth and started listening to what his patients had to say about their experiences while they were clinically dead.The heart had stopped, breathing had stopped in these patients. These patients would come back and tell him these amazing stories that some people may say are hallucinations, but for the patients were hyper-real, like seeing light at the end of the tunnels, seeing deceased family members waiting for them, feeling bliss.___I would say the evidence suggests that the mind can survive the death of activity of the brain.___And so he and others started taking them seriously and writing their accounts down. And then you can do a science based on that material of experience that people have. Now, on the more objective side, more recently people have started to measure what's going on in the brain when people are clinically dead and brought back. This has opened a proper field of study, which is near-death studies.Evidence is a difficult word, because sometimes people think that when you say evidence, this is just the final proof. Evidence is like in a jury. You bring testimony, you bring pieces of data that point in one direction or another.I would say the evidence suggests that the mind can survive the death of activity of the brain. When brains are broken or shut off, there can still be mind going on. And that's revolutionary.That would entail that when we die, it's not game over, which, by the way, is the thesis of materialism. If consciousness survives, materialism dies. It's game over for materialism if something of us continues after we die. Do you think that there is mental continuity after death?Well, I think so, and I believe so, and I could also say I may have experienced it myself, because four years ago I had a near-death experience. I was in the hospital, I lost a lot of blood, and I saw those beings at the end of the tunnel, three beings, and there was yellow light. I was in a well, I was looking upwards, and I hadn't read about NDEs by then, but when I came back from this experience, I decided I would try to integrate this also in my professional life. Not just my personal life, of course, but my professional life as a physicist and as a neuroscientist. So I may have had the experience of glimpses of what an afterlife would be, and I'm not ashamed to say it in this way, and then one can do science of it, and then one can do philosophy of it.One can think about what -isms we were discussing, what views on reality would allow those experiences to be really ‘real,’ as opposed to, well, poor guy, the brain was kind of broken, it must have been a hallucination. Do you have a view about whether individuality or “the ego” persists after death, or whether we sort of merge into some sort of cosmic consciousness instead?I don't know, but my view would be along those lines you're suggesting. I think we could speak about a kind of universal mind, and then the problem is not how we emerge from matter, but how we fragment from a more holistic consciousness into these individual eddies and then when we die, this kind of dissipates.But I'm not sure. For instance, idealism would promote that view, but then what would survive of us after these eddies just vanish and become again the big Consciousness, I'm not sure what that would be. I don't know for sure, but I would tell you I believe something of us survives.And there are other lines of research, not just near-death experience, that can address this really hard question of survival. For instance, there are children who remember previous lives. This was studied by Ian Stevenson at the University of Virginia for more than 50 years.___Research takes place within a selection mechanism that also sometimes reinforces things that are not very scientific.___It's amazing research. He went all over the world, especially in the East, and collected all these case studies, all these stories. In plural, these were data of kids, very young age, who would describe up to 40 items that then he could go and verify.There was no internet. There was really no way the kid could know. Why would the kid say that when I was living in this other body and I was a woman and that's how my house would look like or that's how I would die, right? Again, there is evidence, not proof, but there's evidence not only that something weird and interesting is happening as we cross the threshold, but also when we come back to this life.Scientists should not be afraid of studying this, but they are because there's stigma. There's usually stigma upon the enigma, and this is so unfortunate. And one of the reasons is because of the ideology of materialism, because those things cannot be possible. What is wrong with the politics of science such that they have generated this stigma?So many things. Science is a human activity to begin with.So it falls prey to all our passions and ego and greed. That's one thing. Science is a job for the good and for the bad.You need to get a salary. You need to get grants. Research takes place within a selection mechanism that also sometimes reinforces things that are not very scientific.And then, we didn't have time to unpack this, but science for many years become entangled, as I was suggesting before, to other -isms, materialism, secularism. So anything that smells like the afterlife, people may think has to do with God, and then they freak out.Anything that suggests that there's something about the mind that may not need a physical material substrate to exist, it smells like non-materialism. So, all these -isms are ideologically blocking that kind of research, and then there are all these sociopolitical constraints as to what should be studied and what shouldn't be studied.I call it the backstage of science. Sometimes we scientists or science communicators seem to speak as if the data is the only thing that matters. We say, well, data and theory.But then there's a third leg of this stool, which is all the politics that goes behind the scenes. And we often don't speak about this, and it's quite vicious and petty, and it's very real. Why is materialism so attractive to most scientists?Well, an easy answer is because we've grown up with it.It's what the educational system promotes, and that's what you hear when you go to university. So it's like growing in a culture. It feels like the air in which you breathe.So it's very hard to begin with to detect, well, maybe there's another alternative. Maybe there are other ways of doing science, other environments in which one could do science. That's one reason.And other reasons maybe are more profound, and I'm not qualified to explain them, but I could say, looking at this 400-year history of science, since it started around 1623 with Galileo's book The Assayer, that science went and coupled with all what's going on in the West.And so the fall of religion, you could say, and science presented us this new alternative that then could be coupled very well with other -isms, and this idea of growth, and then science losing its good twin brother, which was philosophy. There's a whole natural history of science starting as philosophy, kind of emancipating or breaking out from philosophy, and then marrying technology, and then marrying other social systems.From that point of view, materialism is a very convenient idea to propose. There were attempts, like the German idealists tried to do a more romantic science. But no, the idea prevailed, like Francis Bacon said: You should pursue nature through all her corners, he said, and make her spill her secrets.Our attitude towards nature in the science that dominates is very much reflecting how we treat nature in our society, in our culture, like a resource to extract secrets by force and then dominate it. How is materialism related to the notions of growth and progress? What's wrong with having a productive citizenry?This is another very interesting and very difficult question to answer.But there's this recent book coming out by Paul Kingsnorth. In it, he explains this idea of the machine and this idea of progress. And this, again, this conflation of more is better, of we need to go forward always, and convincing us that the way to do that is to continually extract more from nature. But because we don't have the religious context anymore, because God is dead, then what do we have? We have what we can do as humans with our own gadgets.It's kind of the story of the Promethean fire. We will just build anything to make ourselves God.A good example today is transhumanism. Transhumanism is this pseudo-religion dressed in technoscientific language whose goal is very religious. They promise immortality, they promise redemption, they promise transformation of the entire natural world, but it's done by human means through technology. Are you suggesting that we can't have ethics without religion?Well, we should have ethics with or without religion. That's another pruning that has happened in science. We say, forget about aesthetics, although some physicists still think that beautiful means probably true, and forget about politics. We pretend there's no backstage of science, and even let's forget about ethics.___Science needs to be in the service of mankind.___Scientists, when they become more like engineers, they're just thinking how to make things work so that they can go to the moon, go to Mars, make machines that think, but they don't think whether that's a good idea.And also consider metaphysics. Many scientists for a long time pretended, and maybe that comes from the stream of positivisms, that really one doesn't need metaphysics at all, except that materialism is always the metaphysics running the system.You see, it's not just ethics. It's the pruning of all of these, you could say, five main legs of philosophy that just makes a kind of unconscious science, a science that doesn't really know what it's doing. It's doing it very well locally, but it just doesn't know what it's doing globally. Do you think science has to have an ultimate vision and purpose behind it for it to be effective or for it to be meaningful and transformative?Yes, a way I would say that is that science needs to be in the service of mankind. And it hasn't been that. And we can see it through, you know, when we discovered the secrets of the atom, and all of a sudden, the Manhattan Project, and then we create nuclear weapons.And now we're trying to crack how machines may think, and now we're creating this mess, right? So science needs to be in service of mankind, not in service of a few ideas that maybe want to make more money or just dominate upon nature. What about planes, trains, automobiles, and modern medicine? Hasn't science served mankind by helping us develop those technologies?Yes and no. I see where you're going, and it's fair.I came here by plane, and it's a blessing. When I almost died, the surgeons did their job, and they saved my life. But these two forced choices between Luddites and Silicon Valley types, I think, of course, it's a false dichotomy.Progress, in a way, it's good, but we often don't speak about the dark side of the moon. We say the great things that progress has brought, and we don't speak about the disasters, the side effects that it has come with, and the same when we promise new technologies. We tend to think that any technology is great, that email is going to save us so much time because we don't need to write letters and send them anymore.Is that true? I spend so many hours a week writing emails. Let's just say there are great things about it and bad things about it. People like Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker, for example, argue that we've made moral progress over time because of the Enlightenment. Do you think that's totally wrong-headed?I think he's emphasizing a side of the moon, and he does that very well, and you can find tons of plots where there's a slope going up and say it's great. But I think he should also tell the not-so-friendly story.But if your ideology is just to resist and continue to explain that the Enlightenment is the best thing ever and reason is the best thing ever… this feels to me like you're worshipping these abstractions.I'm very critical of it and also of these, again, science communicators and scientists that say, Oh, science says, in the name of science, experts say. It's like, come on, let's be careful because we can shoot ourselves in the foot by putting forth to the people an image of science that we know is not really true. Recently there's been a resurgence of spirituality and of people who say that they're spiritual but not religious, especially in the United States. If materialism is going away, what is going to fill that gap? Are we going to return to traditional religion? Do you see that being connected with the rise of the political right?I'm not a fortune teller, so I don't know what's going to happen. But, yeah, we could say we're in this post-materialist age and even post-secular age. One cannot come back to the past, but maybe just to contact with the roots is a good idea.What do I mean by that? I think we need to do a science 2.0, a science that says thank you to Galileo and thank you to materialism, but we need to reinvent even a new kind of scientific method. We need to do so in a culture where we realize humans cannot thrive in a vacuum where there's this idea that the sacred has to be removed.Now, how do we do that without bringing in back all the vices of religion? I don't know. I'm from a Catholic country.Here we are in England, so there are differences and interreligious dialogue has always been a challenge. But I think maybe a way of putting it is: after all these conflicts and branchings I was quickly alluding to, science from philosophy and then also from religion, now there's a time of reconciliation perhaps and maybe debates in the proper sense, like exchange of ideas in service of learning and getting into something higher than both poles. We need science to talk to religious people and it's interesting when people say they're spiritual and not religious.I think this is just a way of saying, no, I don't want to go back, I want to go forward. But at the end of the day, religions have offered us practices and grounding that we now desperately need. Everybody can and should just meditate or pray or do whatever they want, but we're in a crisis and it's time for reconciliation. What do you say to critics that say you are merely projecting our need for meaning onto a fundamentally indifferent universe?Yeah, I know that the typical science communicator says something like this. But we're not projecting. Human beings feed on meaning.It's the other way around. If you're a materialist, because the only thing that there is is matter, all that comes next, free will, consciousness, meaning, this is a kind of illusion that we need to explain.They're just craving for meaning, but there isn't really for them. I would also like to remind my materialist friends that for decades, if not centuries, they've said in the name of science, we know that this and this and this doesn't really exist. I think now they sense they're forced to say, well, actually, we don't know. We've been saying, for instance, that there's nothing after you die, and now probably they need to admit that they don't know the answer.___We need to do a science 2.0, a science that says thank you to Galileo and thank you to materialism, but we need to reinvent even a new kind of scientific method.___So it's a moment to open up possibilities and also to gently but fiercely critique these claims that I think harm society. If you say in the name of science, get on with it, when your father dies, you'll never see him again. Well, what the F do you know about it? You haven't studied the literature, you haven't had any of those experiences, and basically what you're doing is you're just doing marketing on ideology. This needs to stop. Do you think that it's scarier for some people to entertain the thought that there might be life after death, compared to a materialist worldview where you just die, given that there might be consequences for unsavory behaviour?Well, death and dying is scary. It's maybe the ultimate ending. It's a limit on life, and when we're in this conquest mode, we don't like limits.And it also has, there's a shockwave backwards, so I think if you change your notion of what death is or may be, you live differently. It also has consequences, as you're saying, for the future because this is not our only goal here and we come back in whatever form. And again, different religions would say different things. I the East, they are more happy with the idea of reincarnation, and here in the West, there are other preferences. But in any case, it changes how we live, and that's really what matters.It's not about just projecting or imagining what we'll be after, but how we live now and also how we treat those who are dying. So it goes from the individual to the families, to the hospitals.Now in the near-death research I do, this has ramifications at all these levels, all the way to society.But our society is thanatophobic. It has a phobia of death. We don't want to hear about death, and this is another thing we need to put on the table and be willing to talk about it. Do you think that we might get closer to answering ultimate questions like why is there anything at all if we jettison materialism?That’s an excellent question, Simon. Two things: we should stop treating reality, I believe, as a great sudoku, as an enigma, as something that with intelligence, money, and time that we will crack and instead treat reality more like a mystery. And what you do for in front of a mystery is not to be the clever guy in a class and say “I’ll solve you” but more like “I will bow and you will transform me.”I know this sounds a bit like a scientist speaking like a mystic. But I think this reorientation is needed. In the end, we won’t crack the big questions, but they will transform us. If we free ourselves from this prison of materialism, the way we will explore these questions will be freer, more creative, and in service of mankind. Do you think exploring mystery is the reason why we are here?I think we are here because, and this pseudo-theological argument I’m making off the cuff, But the One, the Absolute, if there is such a thing, had everything except limitation. We are that absolute experiencing that contingency. It’s like an act of divine proprioception. It’s a wonderful adventure, it’s just incredible to be alive. Perhaps we have forgotten why we are here and the whole point is to experience the flesh.Let me end by saying this. I criticize materialism harshly. I bang on this dead horse, because I think it’s dead. But matter is a great mystery. So maybe my invitation is as follows: hey materialist friends, come here, let’s work on materialism 2.0! Consciousness is a mystery, but matter is also a mystery. The fact that we can have an intersubjective experience consensus, the fact that we can apply mathematics, that we can measure things... the physical world we take for granted, but it is a great mystery too.Maybe that’s related to your last question: why are we here? Why did spirit decide to incarnate? Being in the flesh may be a great thing if spirit decided to do so.Àlex Gómez-Marín, thank you very much.My pleasure.
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