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Google AI researcher says he resigned over military contract
Alex Turner, a research scientist at Google DeepMind, said he tried to change Google executives' minds about working with the Pentagon.
Google AI researcher says he resigned over military contract
Alex Turner, a research scientist at Google DeepMind, said he tried to change Google executives' minds about working with the Pentagon.
Top US science body readies climate report as Republicans push back
The United States' leading scientific body is set Thursday to launch a major report on the link between climate change and extreme weather, a growing research field now underpinning lawsuits seeking b...
Scientists stunned by bizarre find in 300-year-old bones: you won’t believe it - Futura-Sciences
Centuries-old bones, modern revelations It sounds straight out of a crime novel: can cannabis really get stuck in the human skeleton for hundreds of years? The answer, it turns out, is a resounding yes. Thanks to newly uncovered archaeological evidence, researchers have been able to identify persistent traces of the...
In Good Health: The Alzheimer's research revolution
About 7.5 million people in the U.S. currently suffer from Alzheimer’s.
This pet gecko could help scientists unlock the secrets of cancer
An unusual leopard gecko that naturally develops aggressive tumors may become an important new model for cancer research. Scientists found its tumors share key genetic changes with human cancers, offering a rare opportunity to study the disease as it develops naturally.
Want to get published in a top-tier journal? Where you're from matters
An analysis of 110,000 submissions to elite general science journals shows that researchers from prestigious universities are more than three times more likely
Launching research careers
A record 22 UD students, alumni earn prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships
Industry partnerships, hands-on experiences turn waterways into science labs for biology graduate students
Biology grad students dive into hands-on research on local waterways, transforming them into science labs while forging valuable industry connections.
Researcher Drops New Windows Zero-Day PoC Hours After Microsoft Patch Tuesday
LegacyHive is a PoC for a Windows ProfSvc privilege escalation flaw that works after the July 2026 update, but the public build needs extra credential
NextGen internship program offers a whirlwind tour of genetics
From working in a research lab to participating in hands-on group activities, high school students get an inside look at biomedical science during a five-week summer internship with the Department of Human Genetics.
Why Annual Reviews bought Underline Science
Richard Gallagher and Jernej Masnec discuss AI, conferences and the future of scholarly communities worldwide
Annual Reviews expands conference capabilities with Underline Science acquisition
Deal will strengthen ability to serve communities by combining its established publishing and convening activities
Tech Briefs: Regional business accelerators combine for program focusing on agricultural, forestry and rural concerns
Plus: Emerging Tech Conference seeks proposals for this year’s event; professor emeritus at Virginia Tech makes seven-figure donation to support undergraduate research.
Disgraced stem cell researcher stripped of South Korea's top science award
SEOUL - South Korea's highest science and technology award presented in 2004 to former Seoul National University professor Hwang Woo-suk whose stem cell research was later found to have been fabricated was revoked this week, 22 years after it was conferred, the interior ministry said Wednesday.
Older adults who followed popular diet saw surprising mental health benefit
Eating the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in fruits, vegetables, fish and olive oil, may help keep the mind strong even into old age, according to new research.
Going to museums, movies, and theater may help your body stay younger
Going to the cinema, visiting museums, or attending concerts may do more than entertain. Researchers found that older adults who regularly participated in cultural activities tended to have bodies that functioned like those of people about three years younger. They believe stronger social ties, better mental health, and healthier habits could help explain the link, although more research is needed to determine whether cultural activities directly slow aging.
We Need a New Science Funding Playbook (opinion)
Researchers can borrow from the start-up world to sustain science as a public good.
Scientists show that DNA can last for up to 50,000 years in Africa — much longer than previously thought
Researchers extracted DNA from long-dead animals that lived in South Africa during the last ice age, revealing that genetic material lasts longer in hot climates than was previously thought.
Scientists are deep-freezing koala eggs and sperm to protect the species from extinction
Researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia want to freeze koala sex cells in liquid nitrogen, which could preserve the DNA for decades until we need it, an expert said.
AI Is Quietly Fueling America’s Small-Business Boom
New U.S. business applications hit 5.6 million in 2025 and have risen 24% since ChatGPT launched, Citadel Securities reported in a July research note,
Watchdog science journalism: Crucial yet precarious work, according to study
How do journalists act as watchdogs of science? New qualitative research led by University of Amsterdam media scholar Alice Fleerackers sheds light on the labor-intensive nature of watchdog science journalism, ...
Public Health students present capstone research
The next generation of public health leaders took the spotlight July 13 as Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH)… More on this post
ISM® and Amazon Business research finds most organizations unprepared for supply chain disruption despite strategic shift
/PRNewswire/ -- New research from Institute for Supply Management® (ISM®) and Amazon Business reveals that while organizations are shifting toward balancing...
47 revelatory hours with Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced
To review this month’s supposed remake of 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, I must first correct the record. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced isn’t a game about pirates (and assassins) in the 18th century Caribbean. Sure, sure, that’s what the trailers would have you believe. They’ve go their clips of Edward Kenway swinging his swords and steering his pirate ship into cannon-blasting combat against British frigates. Is Resynced truly a pirate game? Of the 47 hours I spent playing Resynced over the past few weeks, I will admit I spent maybe 44 (?) of them collecting plunder with Blackbeard, drinking rum with Anne Bonny and debating the pros and cons of the lawless pirate-run settlement Nassau with Benjamin Hornigold. I may in fact have spent dozens of hours sailing to remote islands, reading treasure maps, opening messages left in bottles, sinking the odd Man o’ War with a well-timed broadside, collecting sea shanties for my crew, befriending a pet monkey, and hunting whales. I am nevertheless neither so Gullible nor so Narrow-Minded as to call the magnificent Resynced a “pirate remake.” Oh no. Forget any reviews of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced you may have read. Forget what you yourself may have played, if you’ve spent any time with the game since its launch. What Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is really about I’m here to give you the scoop (spoilers for Resynced’s Animus menu lore, which many players are probably not going to see): Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, the new game whose development was led by Ubisoft Singapore, is set in the year 2096. It’s about a societal split, about revolution, about an old Assassin’s Creed adventure repurposed in the series’ distant future as propaganda or samizdat. It’s about the overheated future of 2096, essentially conquered by the series’ well-established nefarious Templar-run company Abstergo. (In this future, Abstergo is, among other things, remaking a 2013 pirate movie called Devils of the Caribbean, but this time in VR. The VR version will be backed by a marketing plan that involves AI influencers, a 10,000-avatar “metaverse premiere event” and that manufacturing of memes aimed at “50 million VR nodes.” See what I mean about Abstergo being evil?) Resynced is about a late 21st-century population mollified by the widespread use of Abstergo’s Animus devices which let people experience the lives of historical figures culled from “genetic memories.” It’s about an insurgent faction of Assassins. And it’s about a plan to wake the population into revolutionary fervor by showing them the memories of 18th century pirate Edward Kenway, who—as depicted in the original Black Flag and again in Resynced—gradually comes to an understanding about the Assassins of his day and their centuries old fight for freedom. Resynced is also about an AI developed within the late 21st-century Animus, called Ego. It has found a way to alter genetic memories, to create and show Animus users false ones. The game is about Ego’s efforts to tell the people experiencing Edward Kenway’s memories that Kenway was wrong, that fighting against order is folly, that we should crave a world where “compliance is rewarded with power.” Who are we in this game? We’re an unnamed Animus user in 2096 who experiences Kenway’s journey virtually. At four moments during Kenway’s exploits in the Caribbean our virtual jaunt can be interrupted for 10-15 minutes, as we explore Animus “rifts” where Ego explicitly tries to tell us how wrong Kenway was. None of this is what 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag was about, of course. That was a different game, even if you also spent dozens of hours pirating as Kenway in that game, across missions and a map that’s been faithfully reintroduced and rebuilt for Resynced. The 2013 Black Flag was about you playing as an unnamed researcher newly hired in 2013 by Abstergo Entertainment, the video game development wing of the Templars’ evil-corp. In that game, you were assigned to use the Animus to dive into the genetic memories of Desmond Miles, a man who died in Assassin’s Creed III and who was descended from a long line of Assassins (and at least one Templar) whose adventures were featured across the prior AC games. In 2013’s Black Flag, your mission was to plumb the Edward Kenway experience for material that Abstergo could use in productions such as the motion picture Devils of the Caribbean, though the Templars had some ulterior motives for the assignment. Resynced is therefore not a remake of 2013’s Black Flag. It’s a sequel. It is a new game about a new exploration of Edward Kenway’s pirate/assassin journey, set 83 years after the framing sequences of the original game. Resynced provides a new narrative framework that, thanks to the concept of an AI that wants to alter historical memories, arrives with creative justification to tweak a now-classic 13-year old game. That makes Resynced, already a hot seller, a tantalizing hint of where Ubisoft could go with a line of Assassin’s Creed remakes. They could remake the first game, the Ezio games, even the recent ones set in ancient Egypt and Greece. And for each, they could not just modernize the graphics and controls but expand and alter their sequences of events to use them as reference points for a conflict set in the late 21st century, as rival factions try to weaponize historical memories. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, even when that work consists of ravings about Assassin’s Creed’s modern day plot, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe A story most players will probably miss If you didn’t know any of this, I’m not surprised. If you played the game and still didn’t catch it, I’m not a bit shocked. If Ubisoft has no plans to do more of this, I won’t fall down. Almost all of what I’ve described is optional and missable in Black Flag Resynced. I nearly missed it myself, as I planned for a breezy playthrough of an old Assassin’s Creed favorite. Instead, I found myself in a 40+ hour hunt for the “real” story, buried deeper in Resynced than any gold-filled chest. The story of 2096 is Resynced’s meta-story, told in two remote pockets of the game: 1) four optional playable “rifts” that players may find as they proceed through Resynced’s pirate fantasy , 2) in dozens of text files tucked three menus deep in the game’s barely-interactive Animus hub. Assassin’s Creed games have almost always had a meta-story about people in the 21st century (usually matching the game’s release year) and their connections to the main history portions you play. Those meta-stories have always been squeezed into the margins, though seldom as severely and as, uh, graphiaclly simple, as in recent games. Back in 2013, the modern-day exploits of you as an Abstergo Entertainment employee were prominent. They were portrayed via first-person portions that occasionally interrupted the third-person Kenway experience and could be explored for hours, complete with their own missions, side quests and puzzles. Resynced’s 2096 story—of Assassin “Watchers” vs. Abstergo/Tempar goons, of rogue AIs, of panicking scientists, of a woman wondering why her Animus-addicted husband is muttering about Mary Read (“What does he mean by Assassins?”), of a fight for the population’s hearts and minds via varying interpretations of Edward Kenway’s life choices—is mostly told through unlockable text files. The files are interesting. Offered via diary entries, intercepted chats and news reports, they present varied perspectives of a world in crisis. One set works as a narrative puzzle as it reveals the Rashomonic interpretations of a massacre, or was that a successful Assassin hit? Another favorite reveals the rising bitterness of a person who, through Edward Kenway’s journey, now shakes at the ignored evil around him. One surmises that Ubisoft is averse to putting the Assassin’s Creed’s meta-story in the way of more marketable pirate playgrounds and ninja/samurai epics. Instead, we get a better-than-nothing text-in-menus approach introduced in 2025’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows. In Shadows, players unlocked the meta-story text files largely via time-gated missions that called on the user to kill X number of enemy type Y, clear three enemy castles, re-win a three-phase fighting tournament, and other grinds. Time restrictions on accessing these missions and unlocking the files meant it could take players months to access the full story in-game. But even in the most hardcore Assassin’s Creed hangouts, the fanbase instead seemed to throw up their hands rather than grind to keep up. In Resynced, Ubisoft has shown some mercy, diminishing the amount of new text files that are tied to timed grinds. Now, most of the text-based 2096 lore are associated with “data file” collectibles that players can find in the world. That includes a batch of written entries that explain a historical link between the feudal Japan era in Shadows and the piracy adventures in Black Flag. Players who explore a lot will find dozens of data files, though the game does not appear to offer any in-game tracker for finding each one. You just need to keep looking for them. As of this writing, I have most of them, but not all. I can’t find any full guide for them online. And even Ubisoft’s optional $5 microtransaction that reveals lots of items in-game does not appear to reveal the locations of the text files (at least the official description omits them from its collectibles list). That’s not a huge bother, because tracking the data files down compelled me to re-explore the waves and islands of Black Flag. That was a thoroughly pleasant task to do for the first time in a dozen years. I expect many players, though, will be content to wait for the files to be reproduced in an online AC wiki somewhere, the easier to read on a web page. It may not seem enticing to play a video game in order to gradually unlock pages of text to read. Why not, you may ask, just read a book, where they put the pages in order? For one, they’ve not tucked this latest installment of Assassin’s Creed’s meta saga in a book. I also enjoy the unordered delivery, the dawning comprehension of a story about 2096’s desperate people and questionable tech, which I glimpsed first at its middle, then the end, then the front, then other moments in between1. I am also enamored with the idea of the Assassin’s Creed games I’ve previously played, including Black Flag, being repurposed for an information war. The ideas in Resynced’s meta-story, which builds off characters and ideas in Shadows’ chunks of text, are strong. The potential of where they could go with it is exciting. As for the pirate stuff? Looks great, controls pretty well, is fun to play and oh so speedy in terms of how much of a good time you can have with each sit-down. It never gets old to chase a new shanty page across a rooftop, bombard a fort with upgraded mortars or use a diving bell to explore sunken wrecks (hats off to the team at Ubisoft Barcelona that worked on the underwater portions in Resynced; that team is now facing layoffs, such is the misery of modern gaming and oft-troubled Ubisoft). New pirate missions in Resynced involving new ally characters are brief, dramatic and add more to Edward’s story, even if the gameplay perks they provide barely enhance the gameplay. A new denouement for high-class pirate Stede Bonnet is affecting; a new hunt for Blackbeard’s treasure is a welcome extra moment. A new epilogue to hunt down a pirate killer, on the other hand, over-complicates Kenway’s character. The ending credits remain my favorite of any game I’ve ever played. Black Flag provides great source material. The revisit is well-made and a great sign of what could be. It is offered in a different wrapper that hints at an opportunity for more interesting remakes to come, should Ubisoft choose to pursue such treasures—and as we brace to resist or comply with an Abstergo future. 1 The messages that Edward Kenway finds in bottles tell another out-of-order story, one about a man reckoning with the strange memories and voices he’s heard in his head since he was a boy. That tale was also in the 2013 game and develops into one of Black Flag’s most compelling character arcs. In Resynced, it has lost its climax, because the bottle story previously paid off in the halls of the first-person Abstergo Entertainment, which is exclusive to the older game. An altered resolution, written by the 2013 game’s lead writer is fine, doesn’t invalidate the 2013 version, but makes for an inferior final note.
15 things science says about friendship and what it does to your health
From immune function and blood pressure to brain scans and life expectancy, here is what researchers have found about the ways friendship shapes the body
15 things science says about friendship and what it does to your health
From immune function and blood pressure to brain scans and life expectancy, here is what researchers have found about the ways friendship shapes the body
Congratulations to the 2026 American Political Science Association (APSA) Award Winners -
The American Political Science Association (APSA) is delighted to announce the winners of the 2026 APSA Awards! APSA recognizes and honors the work of various scholars who have made outstanding contributions to political science research, [...]
Congratulations to the 2026 American Political Science Association (APSA) Award Winners -
The American Political Science Association (APSA) is delighted to announce the winners of the 2026 APSA Awards! APSA recognizes and honors the work of various scholars who have made outstanding contributions to political science research, [...]
From HBCUs to the Bay, mentoring the next generation of scientists
This summer, seven fellows in the HBCU-Berkeley Environmental Scholars for Change program are pursuing research projects with Berkeley mentors while learning about potential research careers.
Leonard Abramson, Health Care Innovator and Philanthropist, Dies at 93
He created U.S. Healthcare, one of the first H.M.O.s, and used his great wealth from the sale of the company for causes like advancing cancer research.
Chico State seeks night shift participants for cardiovascular and muscle health study
Chico State University is recruiting participants for a research study examining the effects of night shift work on cardiovascular and muscle health.
NSF awards 12 new Regional Innovation Engines to fuel research, jobs and economic growth nationwide
The U.S. National Science Foundation announced it awarded the newest NSF Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) awards to 12 U.S. teams across 20 states. These NSF Engines will build and scale…
Miller School Researchers Help Advance Award-Winning AI Model for Predictive Health Care
Miller School researchers helped advance an award-winning AI model that could improve early detection and personalized care.
Second-Hand Black Holes May Be Hiding Across the Universe. Researchers Now Have a Way to Spot Them
For some black holes, one collision is apparently not enough.
'Plants get sick!': WashU scientists, U. City students research plants together
Biologist Rachel Penczykowski, in WashU Arts & Sciences, is an expert in infectious disease in plants. She conducts much of her research in the field — rural farmland, urban parks and, on this sunny day, a garden bed at Jackson Park Elementary School in the University City School District.
Scaling the X-Labs Model is an Important Experiment at a Moment We Need Paths Forward
X-Labs seek to expand on what FROs have shown is possible: the generation of foundational infrastructure for entire new fields of research science.
Modern slavery is a business decision—not an accident
Modern slavery persists because the way global supply chains are designed allows it to remain hidden, according to new research led by Professor Glenn Parry from the University of Surrey and Dr. Mike ...
URI chemistry professor receives $1.5 million National Science Foundation grant
KINGSTON, R.I. – July 14, 2026 – Justin Pratt, assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Rhode Island, recently received a $1,488,349 award from the National Science Foundation. The funded research seeks to advance the national goal of training future scientists by supporting faculty in accessing and implementing evidence-based laboratory teaching practices. This Level […]
Integrated Plant Sciences program helps grad students find the right fit
The University of Georgia’s Integrated Plant Sciences program is a central access point for prospective students in plant and fungal research opportunities. In the program, students explore the research areas of over 87 faculty, performing three laboratory rotations in the fall semester, while taking a reduced core curriculum. Then students choose a thesis advisor and
Neutrino Day draws crowds to Lead for free science festival
The Sanford Underground Research Facility and partner organizations hosted the 18th annual Neutrino Day in Lead on Saturday, offering free, hands-on science activities and talks to people of all ages.
Burcum: Who should decide what research gets funded, political operatives or scientists?
From columnist Jill Burcum: A proposed rule from the Office of Management and Budget, led by Project 2025 architect Russell Vought, would shake up how federal dollars for research are allocated.
Sotheby’s Big T. Rex Auction Raises Concerns Hype and Wealth Are Upending Science
Private buyers are increasingly outbidding museums for fossils. That’s making it difficult—or even impossible—for researchers to improve our understanding of the past.
Trump’s Plan to Corrupt American Science
OMB’s Russell Vought would bring all federal research grants under direct political control, to align with ‘the president’s agenda.’
'It affects your daily life suddenly': Sea level researcher explains why once-in-a-century floods could become the new normal
Live Science spoke with sea level expert Sönke Dangendorf about how human-caused sea-level rise is increasing extreme water levels, as once-in-a-century flooding events become decadal.
Researchers Claim to Have Solved the Perplexing ‘Reverse Sprinkler’ Problem
Scientists have argued over the question since 1883.
Knee Pain? Ragged Cartilage? Research Suggests Surgery’s Not the Best Answer
A Finnish study followed patients for 10 years after they had a popular knee surgery. For many, the pain continued or even worsened.
Sale of multimillion-dollar T rex skeleton is big headache for scientists
Palaeontologists warn before auction at Sotheby’s in New York that super-rich collectors are harming research
Auburn Physics Graduate Student Receives National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship
Auburn physics graduate student Cordell Umland has been selected as a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF GRFP) recipient for 2026. This prestigious fellowship supports outstanding graduate students in STEM fields and provides three years of financial support, including a $37,000 annual stipend.
What does resilience show about healthy aging after trauma?
Findings from the Vietnamese Insights into Cognitive Aging Program come as the landmark study receives a $13.3 million NIH award to expand dementia research.
Scientists discover why peach fuzz can suddenly make you itch
A newly discovered network of fine hairs and specialized nerve cells appears to form a dedicated system for sensing mechanical itch, offering fresh insight into why chronic itching occurs. Because humans show signs of having the same pathway, the research could pave the way for more effective treatments for conditions such as eczema.
NSF Won’t Fund Research Involving Chinese Scientists
The National Science Foundation will bar U.S. colleges and universities from collaborating with many Chinese scientists and other entities on the federal government’s restricted parties lists.
Mamdani announces new tech crews to make city services easier
Crews will be made of software engineers, product managers, designers, researchers and data experts.
Health Partnership Announces Providence Heart Scholars
The UW-GU Health Partnership and Providence Heart Institute launched the Heart Institute Scholars Program to conduct cutting-edge cardiothoracic research.
Hermes agent maker Nous Research in talks for new funding at $1.5B valuation
The company is raising at least $75 million, led by Robot, with significant participation from USV and other prominent investors.
ADHD and periods: Are my hormones making my symptoms worse?
A first-of-its-kind study by UK researchers is looking at the link between menstrual cycles and ADHD.
How high school health classes may help reduce teen substance use
New research suggests schools that consistently offer health classes may help lower teen vaping, marijuana use and drinking.
Loyola awarded nearly $1 million to expand forensic science training, research
Loyola University Maryland has received nearly $1 million in federal funding to establish a forensic science training center, an investment university and law enforcement leaders say will strengthen forensic science education, expand research opportunities and deepen partnerships that support criminal investigations across the region.
Bachelor’s Graduate Lands Research Role On Path to Becoming a Physician-Scientist
With her bachelor’s degree under her belt, Hema Mohan (B.I.S. ’25) has landed a sought-after research position and is closer to achieving her dream of becoming a physician-scientist.
The Quintessential Trump-era Politician
In 2020, I wrote an article about collaboration and collaborators. The title was History Will Judge the Complicit, and it started with the story of two famous East Germans, Markus Wolf and Wolfgang Leonhard, who both landed in East Berlin just after the end of the war. Although they came from very similar backgrounds, the former stuck with the regime, eventually becoming its spy boss; the latter, horrified by the brutal reality of Soviet-style communism, escaped. By way of juxtaposition, I also wrote about Lyndsey Graham and Mitt Romney. These two men also made very different decisions when confronted by Donald Trump’s assault on the ideals that they had both grown up believing: A glance at their biographies would not have led many to predict what happened next. On paper, Graham would have seemed, in 2016, like the man with deeper ties to the military, to the rule of law, and to an old-fashioned idea of American patriotism and American responsibility in the world. Romney, by contrast, with his shifts between the center and the right, with his multiple careers in business and politics, would have seemed less deeply attached to those same old-fashioned patriotic ideals. Most of us register soldiers as loyal patriots, and management consultants as self-interested. We assume people from small towns in South Carolina are more likely to resist political pressure than people who have lived in many places. Intuitively, we think that loyalty to a particular place implies loyalty to a set of values. But in this case the clichés were wrong. It was Graham who made excuses for Trump’s abuse of power. It was Graham—a JAG Corps lawyer—who downplayed the evidence that the president had attempted to manipulate foreign courts and blackmail a foreign leader into launching a phony investigation into a political rival. It was Graham who abandoned his own stated support for bipartisanship and instead pushed for a hyperpartisan Senate Judiciary Committee investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden’s son. It was Graham who played golf with Trump, who made excuses for him on television, who supported the president even as he slowly destroyed the American alliances—with Europeans, with the Kurds—that Graham had defended all his life. By contrast, it was Romney who, in February, became the only Republican senator to break ranks with his colleagues, voting to impeach the president. “Corrupting an election to keep oneself in office,” he said, is “perhaps the most abusive and destructive violation of one’s oath of office that I can imagine.” In the wake of Graham’s unexpected death on Saturday, I wrote about him again. He was, in many ways, the quintessential politician of Trump’s Washington, a man who shifted 180 degrees. Graham had been a fervent American patriot, proud reserve officer and military lawyer; he became one of the most important defenders of a president who believes soldiers are “suckers and losers” and shows no respect for law of any kind. As his politics changed, his language grew coarser and his behavior grew worse: He urged Israel to “level the place” in Gaza, and insulted the Danish prime minister in Munich, prompting a colleague, Senator Elissa Slotkin, to issue an apology. Here’s an excerpt from the article, which you can read in The Atlantic (gift link here) Like his close friend John McCain, Graham believed that America should stand at the center of a broad democratic alliance. The few times I met him were in that context, at the Munich Security Conference or at other European-American gatherings, which he once attended with great regularity. He also took seriously the practice of American democracy at home. In a 2014 conversation with The Atlantic, he described himself as a pragmatic politician who eschewed populist slogans. “I know Washington is broken, but what’s broken about it is everybody yelling and nobody trying to fix it,” he said. “I’m trying.” When Donald Trump first appeared in U.S. politics, Graham recognized him immediately for what he was: the spokesman for an alien ideology, one radically different from the idealistic patriotism that Graham had practiced and preached since childhood. Trump privately mocked the military that Graham loved as nothing but “suckers and losers.” He put falsehoods, cynicism, and personal greed at the center of his politics, while expressing disdain for transparency, accountability, and democracy itself. In 2015, Graham described Trump as a “race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot” who should “go to hell.” Also as a “nutjob.” When Trump won, Graham understood, as did so many others, that he would have to make some important choices. For a while, he went silent. In the spring of 2016, I saw him at one of those conferences in Europe. He seemed too depressed to speak. But then, like many other Republicans—and, more important, like many other people who have lived under political occupation or experienced radical regime change—he made the decision to abandon his previous ideals, to bury the patriotism that was once so important to him, and to become, instead, a loud, opportunistic collaborator. As I wrote in 2020, it’s very hard to look in to anyone’s heart and to understand their motivations from the outside. But it does seem that Graham had a deep need to be relevant, to be in the game, to be a player, at any cost. And that, rather than any particular achievement, is what he will be remembered for. Continuing to monitor conflicts of interest, ostentatious emoluments, outright corruption and policy changes that will facilitate outright corruption. (Read my original article, Kleptocracy Inc and check out the SNF Agora Institute chart) June 27 Trump diverted funds from more than 900 projects nationwide—including safety upgrades at national parks—to finance beautification projects around Washington, including $700,000 used to fix a White House walkway. June 28 After a years-long Department of Justice investigation into Abbott Laboratories over its management of a baby formula facility where potentially deadly bacteria turned up enough evidence to criminally charge the firm, top department officials instead opted for a financial penalty—illustrating the department’s move away from strict corporate enforcement under the Trump administration. June 29 Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stacked the Defense Policy Board—which is charged with providing independent national security recommendations to the Office of the Secretary of Defense—with Trump allies, including tech billionaire Marc Andreessen, who has invested in defense contractors like OpenAI and SpaceX, after purging the panel last year. Trump purchased between $1 million and $5 million worth of stock in Axon—which makes about 90% of US tasers—two weeks before ICE solicited bids for a $220 million taser contract. The White House unveiled limited-edition US passports for America’s 250th birthday, featuring a portrait of Trump overlaid on the Declaration of Independence. June 30 Trump made around $1.2 billion from his various crypto companies last year, including more than $500 million from World Liberty Financial and $600 million from sales of his meme coin. Trump is considering issuing 250 pardons to commemorate America’s 250th birthday. These are expected to be largely doled out through the Office of the Pardon Attorney’s informal network of intermediaries. White-collar defense attorneys say they can typically win pardons for clients for $2 million. Last year, Trump administration officials awarded a no-bid contract worth up to $500 million to Clark Construction for the White House ballroom—negotiations in which the president was directly involved. July 1 The Amazon MGM Studios documentary about Melania Trump earned the First Lady more than $10 million. Trump made hundreds of individual stock purchases worth as much as $12.8 million the day before his announcement pausing “Liberation Day” tariffs for 90 days sent the S&P 500 soaring nearly 10%—one of the largest single-day gains ever. Mar-a-Lago and Trump National Doral saw record surges in revenue during Trump’s first year in office, earning $77.5 million and $121.9 million respectively, compared to average annual revenues of $25 million and $75 million during Trump’s first term. Entities across the Persian Gulf paid more than $300 million to Trump’s businesses last year, including $263 million from the sale of half his stake in World Liberty Financial to a firm backed by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a top UAE royal and brother of the country’s president. Kash Patel failed to properly disclose his stock purchase of a Department of Justice contractor, MicroStrategy, worth up to $250,000 last year, despite laws requiring disclosure within 45 days of the trade. July 2 Trump has been directing administration officials to steer more government contracts—so far worth more than $2.4 billion—to Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin aerospace firm, after Amazon gave $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund, donated to the White House ballroom project, and reached a $40 million deal to license a Melania Trump documentary. Alongside the billions he made from cryptocurrency last year, Trump earned millions of dollars from real estate licensing fees, including $21 million from organizations in the UAE and $9.2 million in Saudi Arabia, along with smaller sums from merchandise sales, including $4.7 million from Trump Watches and $35,920 from 45 Guitar, a guitar brand endorsed by the president. House Democrats accused consultants tied to the Trump administration of financial fraud, alleging they gave prospective donors to America250—the bipartisan committee created by Congress to celebrate the nation’s semiquincentennial—the banking and routing numbers for Freedom 250, the White House’s fund for events like the UFC cage fight. Democrats also allege that Freedom 250’s CEO traveled to the World Economic Forum in Davos to solicit donations from foreign government officials and business leaders. The Trump administration’s proposed rollback of gun regulations would lift the prohibition on mailing handguns to individuals, a significant win for GrabAGun—the direct-to-consumer firearm retailer on whose board Donald Trump Jr. sits and in which he holds a 1.1% ownership stake. GrabAGun currently must rely on a middleman to transfer firearms to customers. Trump’s financial disclosure revealed that he made more than 21,000 securities trades during his first year back in office, growing his investment account to at least $858 million across stakes in around 1,600 companies, compared to the 13 total trades Joe Biden made during his entire presidency. July 4 Nearly 1 million people who bought the president’s meme coin—Trump Coin—collectively lost $3.8 billion on the token, while he walked away with $636 million. July 6 Shares of Dell closed up 4.4% after Trump recommended people buy the firm’s computers during a speech announcing the launch of Trump investment accounts for children, boosting the more than $1 million worth of shares the president owns in the company. July 9 Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh named crypto investor and Trump ally Marc Andreessen to a task force aimed at modernizing the Federal Reserve, including rethinking its approach to inflation—a key factor keeping interest rates elevated. Palm Beach International Airport has officially changed its name to Trump International Airport—a move that will require Florida to pay royalties to the president’s family for licensing his name. I was there a few months ago, during a trip to Barcelona. The sculptures were a revelation, I’d never seen so many together before. Each one has its own personality. Enjoy the good weather, if you are lucky enough to have it. History Will Judge the Complicit The Quintessential Politician Autocracy Inc Open Letters, from Anne Applebaum is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
FSU researcher creates seawater isotope database to improve climate reconstructions, projections
A Florida State University paleoclimatologist led the creation of a global database hosting thousands of seawater isotope measurements collected over
HHS & VA Announce Bold, Comprehensive Partnership to Advance Rapid-Acting Mental Health Treatments for Veterans
HHS and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen collaboration on the research, clinical development, and responsible deployment to veterans suffering from serious mental health conditions.
Researchers Put “Silly Sprinklers” in Reverse to Further Unravel Decades-Old Physics Puzzle
Breakthrough spouts new experimental answer to long-standing Feynman’s Sprinkler Problem
Nearly 6 in 10 young women get health and wellness information from influencers
Young women are especially likely to say they often see influencer content about beauty and appearance.
AMS Science Preview: Texas Floods, Deformed Cities, Olympic Weather
The American Meteorological Society continuously publishes research on climate, weather, and water in its 12 journals. Many of these articles are available via early online access–they have been peer…
How smarter water management can reduce arsenic in rice
Rice is a staple food for more than half of the world's population. But unlike other major grains, it naturally absorbs arsenic — a known carcinogen — because of the unique way it is grown.For years, scientists have searched for ways to reduce arsenic in rice without sacrificing crop yields or creating new food safety concerns. Now, new research co-authored by an Arizona State University professor shows that a relatively simple change in how rice fields are managed could help accomplish both.
Should Disney Get Out of Streaming Business? One Analyst Says Yes
Wells Fargo analyst Steven Cahall argues in a new research note that focusing on IP and experiences could raise Disney's stock price by 40 percent.
Frontline Strategies aims to lead a changing lobbying landscape
Frontline Strategies, a Baton Rouge government relations firm launched in January through the merger of Sequitur Consulting and The Tatman Group, has quickly built a diverse client base across industries including insurance, health care, education, transportation and finance. Led by Beverly Haydel, David Tatman, Doreen Brasseaux and Evan Alvarez, the firm offers lobbying, policy research, […]
Star Orbiting Black Hole Animation
The precise data collected by NASA’s Hubble and James Webb space telescopes enabled a team of astronomers to chart the visible star’s orbital path over a 20 year-plus period. Researchers recorded this segment of the star’s orbit during its closest approach to it...
7 Knights Earn 2026 NSF Graduate Research Fellowships
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200 economists and executives warn on AI's job impact: read the letter
Executives and researchers from OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Anthropic all signed the 88-word letter released on Monday.
New malware for Android can empty your bank accounts in secret
Researchers have uncovered an updated RedHook malware that can gain shell privileges by tricking users into giving accessibility permissions.
How the 'creeping normality' of large language models is quietly reshaping the life sciences
Large language models (LLMs) are gradually transforming research in the life sciences in ways that extend far beyond improving productivity, and they are becoming a new normal before scientists have agreed ...
2.6 million Americans lost health insurance in 2025 after ACA subsidies expired, leading to real health consequences
Research shows that losing coverage, even temporarily, tends to make people less healthy, and it exposes them to financial losses.
The Ministry's "Great Purge" of Science: Can AI Help?
Publish or perish. Universities decide whether to renew researchers[1] contracts or promote them through the academic ranks largely on the...
Yale scientists found a hidden network inside the eye
Researchers have discovered that the retina uses an unexpected communication network that lets separate visual pathways cooperate instead of working alone. A newly identified "commander" cell appears to coordinate this system, helping the eye detect faint details that might otherwise be missed.
Q&A: New research questions the science behind cry~it~out sleep training
New JMU research is challenging one of the most widely accepted parenting practices in the U.S.: cry-it-out sleep training
Large Language Models in Life Science Research: What Scientists Need to Know
Large language models are reshaping literature review, coding, and scientific writing in life science research. Explore what LLMs can and cannot do reliably.
Scientists discovered the brain doesn't make decisions the way we thought
A new study suggests the brain begins making decisions much earlier than scientists previously thought. Researchers found that even primary sensory regions are influenced by higher brain areas through rapid feedback loops, rather than simply passing information forward. This more dynamic view of brain function could help engineers design future AI systems that think more like biological brains while using far less power.
A 200-year-old physics experiment could help build future computers
Scientists at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have discovered a surprisingly simple way to create exotic light structures called optical skyrmions using a 200-year-old optical effect known as the Poisson spot. Instead of relying on expensive, highly engineered materials, they simply shine a laser at a tiny circular disc, producing stable swirling patterns in light that researchers believe could one day help power advanced data storage, communications, and computing technologies.
Cloud Computing for Life Science Research: AWS, Google Cloud, and HPC—Which Do You Need?
A practical, no-hype comparison of cloud computing for life science research: when AWS, Google Cloud, or institutional HPC actually fits. Explore the guide.
Data Sharing in Life Sciences: How to Share Research Data Without Sharing What You Shouldn't
Discover how to manage research data sharing in life sciences, covering NIH and UKRI funder mandates, GDPR compliance, embargoes, and data availability rules.
Bioenergy Life Science adopts decentralised clinical research to support nutraceutical claims
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When regulation is good for business
By now, I think I have established both my view that I am a fan of ESG investing and the benefits of regulating what is and isn’t a sustainable investment, and my view that in Europe, ESG regulation has gone too far and become too costly. It almost feels like the old Aristotelian maxim of doing things in moderation that leads to the best outcomes is valid in regulatory efforts as well. To give you an example, let’s look at a study by the National Bank of Belgium on the impact of the EU’s Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) on fund flows of conventional and ESG funds. The SFDR was announced on 27 November 2019 and came into effect on 10 March 2021. It was implemented in several stages and split funds marketed in the EU into three broad categories: (i) Art. 6 funds that are basically conventional funds without any specific ESG integration, (ii) Art. 8 funds that ‘promote environmental or social characteristics’, which must provide additional reporting how they do that, and (iii) Art. 9 funds that are impact funds. The gaps between the announcement and the phased implementation give us an idea of how fund flows were affected by the regulation. It is clearly visible in the figure below that once the new regulation was announced and when it was initially implemented, fund flows in Art. 8 and Art. 9 funds increased significantly. Conventional Art. 6 funds also saw more inflows, but the increase was not statistically significant. I should add that the data below is pure fund flow, cleaned of performance effects and of any reclassified funds that moved from one classification to another. Note also that once the initial rush in ESG funds was over, additional, stricter regulatory requirements didn’t create that many new flows. This implies that with additional regulation, the funds incurred higher costs to comply but didn’t benefit in terms of new inflows and higher assets under management. Fund flows as the SFDR regulation was implemented in the EU Source: Emiris et al. (2026) When examining the drivers of these flows, the authors of the study found that institutional investors were more likely to switch to ESG funds and particularly so in countries where concerns about sustainability are culturally more accepted. In a society where buy-in into environmental and social risks is higher, private investors were shifting more of their assets into ESG funds as the regulation made it clear which funds are really green and which ones are not. And institutional investors in these countries did so as well, given the societal pressures and reputational risks of sticking with conventional funds. Meanwhile, fund managers reacted to the changing regulatory environment as well. Many funds that were mildly green before the regulation was announced became greener and more sustainable as the regulation was introduced to attract new assets and new investors. Cleverly, and unsurprisingly, these ESG funds also charge on average higher fees, which means that not only did fund managers gather fresh assets, but their profitability increased as well.
Vision for a Wild Coast at Point Conception
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EXCLUSIVE: LVMH Partners With IFM Fashion School on Research Chair in Science and Creativity
The world's biggest luxury group wants to study how creative minds engage with technology, as AI is poised to revolutionize fashion design.
LVMH Partners With IFM on Research Chair in Science and Creation
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Major international trial finds healthy behaviors help brain health in older adults
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18th annual Neutrino Day brings free science activities and researchers to Lead
10 PM KOTA Territory News - Saturday
DGIST secures four projects under the Ministry of Science and ICT’s Group Research Support Program, spanning basic science to cutting-edge deep tech
- DGIST secured one Science Research Center (SRC) project and three Basic Research Laboratory (BRL) projects, taking the lead in addressing national challenges in science and technology - DGIST reaffirms its world-class convergence research capabilities spanning AI, robotics, and advanced biotechnology
Single-Atom Catalysis research earns science award
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Where you live could shape your dementia risk, massive study finds
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Science is pushing back on the hype over cold plunges
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Scientists discover a hidden heart valve risk linked to gum disease
Researchers found that bacteria linked to gum disease may help drive the development of calcific aortic valve stenosis by triggering inflammation and calcium buildup in the heart valve. The early findings suggest that keeping gums healthy could play a role in reducing the risk of this serious heart condition.
Special Microsoft Flight Simulator controller is coming to Xbox
So far, the Echo Aviation Controller has only been available for PC, where it supports Microsoft Flight Simulator and other titles. It can also be used on Mac for Laminar Research's X-Plane. A new model with console support is expected to follow soon.
Why Women's Intuition Is a Competitive Advantage in Business
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Tencent Music Entertainment Group Sponsored ADR (NYSE:TME) Given Average Rating of "Hold" by Brokerages
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At Family Science Night, Wonder Comes Before Answers.
BAR HARBOR—Family Science Night isn’t really about science. It’s about wonder. It’s about watching a five-year-old realize that the tiny creature under a microscope is a real living thing. It’s about a teenager discovering that the scientist explaining genetics or regeneration isn’t much older than they are. It’s about parents seeing curiosity spread across a child’s face the way excitement spreads across a crowd at a Fourth of July parade. For one evening, families realize that the laboratory isn’t some secretive place where knowledge is hidden behind white coats and closed doors. They learn that the lab is a place their neighbors work, their friends’ parents work, and it becomes a place where questions matter more than answers. It’s a place where wonder is the origin for knowledge. At the lab, children learn that it’s okay not to know. Adults remember that they once asked “Why?” about everything. Scientists are reminded why they fell in love with discovery in the first place. There are experiments, games, obstacle courses, and demonstrations, of course. But those are really just invitations—to touch, to explore, to laugh, to make mistakes, and to ask one more question. In a world that often rewards certainty, Family Science Night celebrates curiosity. And perhaps that’s its greatest gift. Long after the microscopes are packed away and the experiments are over, what families take home isn’t just a few new facts about biology. They take home the feeling that discovery belongs to everyone—that science isn’t something happening somewhere else by someone else. It’s simply what happens when people are given permission to wonder. A Family Science Night at the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory is one of those rare community events where children and adults can experience science as something they do, not just something they read about. Hands on discovery allows hands-on learning and joy. Real scientists, some local, some scientist-interns (but still scientists) just in college make science real, approachable, and exciting. And there, complex ideas like forever chemical-filtration, DNA and so much more become not complex. Instead, they become fun. Summer fellows are challenged to explain cutting-edge biomedical research in ways a first-grader—and their grandparent—can understand. Past activities have explored gene expression, kidney function, axolotl regeneration, worms, microplastics, and phytoplankton through games and creative demonstrations. Though it’s called family night, you can also see adults going from station to station, exploring, learning together across ages. Family Science Night reflects the laboratory’s broader mission of breaking down barriers between researchers and the public, helping people understand how scientific discoveries relate to everyday life and the health of Maine’s environment. Family Science Night transforms a world-class research laboratory into a giant interactive classroom, where curiosity is encouraged, questions are celebrated, and families discover that science isn’t just something that happens in a lab—it’s an adventure anyone can join. About MDI Biological Laboratory For more than 125 years, MDI Bio Lab has been a center for training and research in comparative biology. In the last two decades its biomedical research has focused on aging, regeneration, and environmental toxins. The Laboratory houses 11 research groups staffed by an international team of world-class scientists and graduate students. It also leads a statewide network of colleges, universities and research institutions that collaborate to provide training, research experiences and financial support to help young Mainers play a bigger role in today’s biomedical revolution. Located on Maine’s rugged coast, the Laboratory’s 100+ acre campus houses research facilities, cottages and dorms that house visiting scientists and students. It is also home to MDI Bioscience, a subsidiary working to design innovative techniques to speed the drug discovery process. LINKS TO LEARN MORE NIH INBRE MDI BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY Photos: Carrie Jones and Shaun Farrar/Bar Harbor Story HELP SUPPORT THE BAR HARBOR STORY When we started The Bar Harbor Story, we didn’t know if anyone would read it. But you showed up. You shared. You sent tips. Now—over 400,000 views every month later—it’s clear: people here care about their community and each other. We’ve kept everything free because news should never be out of reach, but every one of our stories takes time to write, and your support keeps The Bar Harbor Story going. If you value our work, please consider a paid subscription, a founding membership, or a sponsorship. It truly helps us cover one more meeting, tell one more story, shine one more light. Even $5 a month makes a difference. Click here to become a one-time supporter now. Thank you so much for being here. Founding member information can be found here. Have questions about sponsorships? Just send Shaun an email at sfarrar86@gmail.com, he’d love to hear from you. Subscribe Share Bar Harbor Story Share Leave a comment
Meet the Floating Robot Companion Designed for Safe, Friendly Human Interaction
Robotics researchers are trying to prove that lighter-than-air robots could excel at emotional connection.
Spider-like creatures help uncover the surprising origins of fatherhood
Citizen scientists have helped researchers solve a long-standing mystery about how parental care evolved in harvestmen. Using photos and observations from iNaturalist, scientists more than doubled the known cases of egg-guarding behavior and discovered that maternal and paternal care followed different evolutionary paths. The project, completed in just days with help from public data, shows how citizen science is transforming biological research on a global scale.