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Final Fantasy XIV Is Coming to Nintendo Switch 2 in August With a Separate Subscription
Square Enix has announced plans to bring Final Fantasy XIV to Nintendo Switch 2 this August – but there is a catch.
Windows Update gets new controls to reduce forced restarts
Microsoft is rolling out Windows Update improvements that give users more control over how updates are installed while reducing disruption from frequent or poorly timed restarts.
The healthcare paradox of more options, less access
Together, we can promote healthier living by using technology to expand access to care.
It's Happening: Final Fantasy XIV Is Coming To Switch 2 This August
Players will require a separate subscription from other platforms
Two Crows’ ‘Chesapeake’ lets the dogs out at the Slowpoke Lounge
Elizabeth Ledo plays all the parts in Lee Blessing’s 1999 play about a performance artist who goes to great lengths to fight a conservative senator.
Final Fantasy 14 coming to Nintendo Switch 2
Square Enix is bringing Final Fantasy 14 to Nintendo Switch 2, Square Enix just announced. The game will be available this August. A short early access period of about a month is planned. The cost during this time will be entirely free. The Switch 2 version will require a separate subscription from other versions, following discussions with Nintendo. However, a...
Republicans running for Ohio's election chief want to dump drop boxes
Republican candidates for Ohio Secretary of State want to ditch election drop boxes, an option that came under fire from now-President Donald Trump following his 2020 defeat.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate's price cut has gone live at the perfect time
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate's latest price cut couldn't have arrived at a better time, as the subscription service is about to add a lot of brand-new games.
'A completely new reality': Bolder measures are needed to prevent extreme water shortages in cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas that depend on the Colorado River
Cities fed by the Colorado River have taken huge steps to reduce their water consumption over the past few decades, yet water shortages are projected to grow more intense. What can be done?
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups: 3 relievers to target going into this weekend, plus more streaming options
'It Truly Excels': Saros Is Another 'Exceptional' PS5 Pro Game, Say Tech Experts
Particle accelerator
Analysts Are Optimistic We'll See A Profit From Dolphin Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:DLPN)
With the business potentially at an important milestone, we thought we'd take a closer look at Dolphin Entertainment...
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Gets Free Anniversary Update That Adds Fresh Haircuts for the Whole Party
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is celebrating the first anniversary of its release with a free update that adds new cosmetic options for the game's full party.
SAP Shares Climb on Cloud Business Resilience
A strong first quarter has reassured investors it can weather potential disruption from AI and geopolitical tensions that could affect client spending.
The local news crisis is also a public health crisis
Health and science reporting is often treated as optional coverage. It is anything but.
The local news crisis is also a public health crisis
Health and science reporting is often treated as optional coverage. It is anything but.
"We care deeply about this game, and we play it right alongside you": World of Warcraft team apologizes for the state of the game — as patch 12.0.5 frustration boils over
World of Warcraft is the most popular subscription based MMORPG in history owing to the absolute mountain of content it receieves in exchange for the monthly fee. Lately, though, it feels increasingly like Blizzard has spread itself thin.
Newport a 'strong force' for critical Oldham game
Christian Fuchs says belief is strong in his Newport County side, as they face Oldham Athletic on Saturday with the potential to secure League Two survival.
Medina school board considers new resources for science curriculum
The Medina Board of Education is considering the adoption of new resources for science students in the fourth through ninth grade. Members of the district’s curriculum committee are confident these new resources will help students to think like scientists in the classroom.
Twisted nanoparticles sorted by light
Chiral objects are important in fields like drug development because their interactions with biological systems depend on handedness. Researchers from Tokyo University of Science, Institute for Molecular Science, and Seoul National University used light to selectively manipulate nanosized chiral objects. By confining circularly polarized light in an ultra-thin optical fiber, they transported metallic chiral nanoparticles based on handedness, thereby enabling chirality control at near-molecular scales, opening possibilities for applications involving chiral systems, including drug development.
Topological control of chirality and spin with structured light
Light: Science & Applications - Pancharatnam topological charge drives deterministic spin-orbit interactions in paraxial free space, inducing tunable optical chirality and radial spin...
Elevating Transparency: Introducing the Palo Alto Networks SASE Health Portal
As enterprises accelerate toward hybrid work and multi-cloud adoption, SASE has become the foundation for delivering secure, seamless access everywhere.
Leak reveals new Xbox Game Pass ‘Starter Edition’ that’s part of Discord Nitro
Nitro subscribers will get a limited Xbox Game Pass subscription
Please don’t inject yourself with bootleg peptides
Why Americans have gone wild self-experimenting with the hottest thing in wellness: Peptides.
NFIB Supports Legislation to Increase the Small Business Deduction to 23%
The Small Business Tax Cut Act would build on the success of Congress making the Small Business Deduction permanent
Lane Johnson's recent workout video is reason for continued optimism
A new workout clip shows the Eagles’ All-Pro tackle still looks like himself, and maybe then some.
The ‘Make America Healthy Again’ Movement Is Cooling on Trump and Republicans
Vaccine skeptics, ‘organic moms’ and environmental activists came together toelect President Trump. Butsome voters are disillusioned and might not turn out again.
‘Dame’ Sarah Day retires from American Players Theatre after 40 years
From ingenue to grand dame, the Madison native has played dozens of roles at the classical Spring Green repertory theater.
Baldness May Be Reversible With One Natural Sugar. But the Science Is Still Early.
It works by jump-starting circulation where it matters most—something current options barely touch.
Heating up for health: Researcher weighs in on the science behind saunas and hot tubs
Heat therapy is hot right now. Saunas are popping up in more backyards and fitness centers. And heat is part of the constant conversation around optimizing health and wellness. But the idea of leveraging ...
Heating up for health: Researcher weighs in on the science behind saunas and hot tubs
Heat therapy is hot right now. Saunas are popping up in more backyards and fitness centers. And heat is part of the constant conversation around optimizing health and wellness. But the idea of leveraging ...
US Business Activity Expands While Prices Rise Most Since 2022
US business activity picked up in April, fueled by the strongest manufacturing growth in nearly four years as war-related supply disruptions prompted a scramble for supplies.
AI just discovered new physics in the fourth state of matter
Physicists have taken a major step toward using AI not just to analyze data, but to uncover entirely new laws of nature. By combining a specially designed neural network with precise 3D tracking of particles in a dusty plasma—a strange “fourth state of matter” found from space to wildfires—the team revealed hidden patterns in how particles interact. Their model captured complex, one-way (non-reciprocal) forces with over 99% accuracy and even overturned long-held assumptions about how these forces behave.
Regions Bank + Dash Solutions Collaborate on New Treasury Management Solution to Modernize Client Payment Operations
Regions ReimbursePro delivers fast, flexible and convenient options to help clients initiate real-time money movement. Regions Bank on Thursday announced the launch of Regions ReimbursePro , the bank’s latest Treasury Management innovation designed to help business clients modernize their payment processes and expedite real-time money movement. Regions ReimbursePro is a new, forward-thinking Treasury Management solution designed to help business clients accelerate refunds, modernize their payment processes and fuel growth. Regions ReimbursePro is powered by Dash Solutions , a leading payments enablement company also headquartered in Birmingham. The solution provides Regions’ Treasury Management clients access to a modern, secure digital platform that helps transform refund operations away from older, manual, time-consuming processes that include paper documents and physical checks. Key upgrades include: Once a reimbursement is initiated through this new solution, recipients can choose
Business Connect event to link entrepreneurs with free support
The Minority Business Assistance Center (MBAC) will host a Business Connect: Small Business Resource Day on Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Business Connect event to link entrepreneurs with free support
The Minority Business Assistance Center (MBAC) will host a Business Connect: Small Business Resource Day on Wednesday, April 29, 2026
BillingPlatform Honored as Gold Stevie® Award Winner in 2026 American Business Awards®
/PRNewswire/ -- BillingPlatform, the leader in enterprise monetization, today announced it was named the winner of a Gold Stevie® Award in the Subscription...
Neal Milner: We Are All Victims Of The Sylvia Luke Mess
Her decision not to run for reelection doesn’t address the bigger problem — how inept the state is when it comes to corruption investigations.
Global business travel optimism drops sharply in Q1, GBTA survey shows
Pessimism among business travel professionals has nearly tripled since the start of the year amid concerns over geopolitical conflict. Weakened sentiment could impact U.S. hotels.
Trump’s CDC chief pick a move towards ‘evidence-based science’
Optimism over president’s choice of former deputy surgeon-general as next director of troubled agency
Huge and Highly Praised Crimson Desert PS5 Patch Out Now, Difficulty Options and Better Visuals Included
The game's biggest update yet
Crimson Desert Gets Its Biggest Patch Yet, Adds Difficulty Settings, Much-Needed Storage Improvements, and Even Birds as Pets
Crimson Desert developer Pearl Abyss has released update 1.04.00, which makes significant improvements to the game. Chief among them is the addition of difficulty settings, new storage improvements, new pets, keyboard/mouse and controller preset options, new category tabs for the inventory, new skills, improvements to distant scenery quality, and a lot more.
NBA insider reveals path to Draymond Green extension
Although Draymond Green has a player option for next season, there's a chance that 14-year veteran is able to reach an extension with the team.
New issue: Mirrorlife | BBC Science Focus Magazine
Mirror life could end all life on Earth. That sounds dramatic, but senior biologists have raised the alarm about experiments happening all around the world. It sounds like something in a Doctor Who plot, but no – mirror life is a real possibility. So why do scientists want to create something that’s potentially apocalyptic? Well, it could also have huge benefits (think back to splitting the atom). The first thing to say, however, is that mirror organisms are still a little way away yet – but only decades, not centuries. So far, scientists have only made mirror molecules, one of life’s building blocks. What for? Life works because its building blocks fit together. Imagine drilling a screw into a piece of wood. The screw cuts a hole with a thread that snugly matches its own. If, for some reason, the Doctor showed up and handed you a mirror version of the screw, its thread would be in reverse. It wouldn’t twist into the hole you’d just made as the threads wouldn’t match. That said, the mirror screw would still work; you’d just have to create a mirror hole for it. Mirror molecules, including DNA, work a bit like that. They follow the same principles as the biology around us, but they’re entirely incompatible with traditional biological functions. In medical terms, this means they’re effectively invisible to your body’s systems. Our biology doesn’t have the tools to recognise these molecules and break them apart. And if someone took these mirror molecules and put them together to make a cell and then an organism… you’d have mirror life. But we don't have any way of breaking it down. If it escaped the lab, we’d just have to hope it didn’t have an appetite.
Iowa Senate sends bills on speed limits, disruptive students to governor
DES MOINES — The Iowa Senate on Wednesday spent a good portion of the afternoon discussing a swath of bills, several of which have now moved to the desk of
I used Jeff Bezos’ 'Day 1' rule to fix my ChatGPT workflow — and it actually killed my procrastination
Adopting this rule helped me more proactive and avoid putting things off
Long Beach harbor projects aim to boost tourism, business
Several projects in and around Long Beach Harbor are underway, with city officials and business owners optimistic about what the additions could bring to the city.
Physicist: I Believe You Can Enhance Your Consciousness—And Expand Your Perception Into a ‘Different Realm’
Quantum-enhanced humans could enter into an entirely “different realm.”
Medical leaders break ground on women's health pavilion in Prince George's
A medical hub is on the way in Prince George’s County dedicated to ensuring expectant mothers have an option closer to home. Eight in 10 women in Prince George’s County leave the county to deliver their babies due to limited care options, according to Luminis Health. That was the reality for Mautez Bethel. “I’m not even going to lie, the…
For the first time, scientists pinpoint the brain cells behind depression
Scientists have identified two specific types of brain cells that behave differently in people with depression, offering a clearer picture of what is happening inside the brain. By analyzing donated brain tissue with advanced genetic tools, the researchers found changes in neurons linked to mood and stress, as well as in immune-related microglia cells. These differences point to disruptions in key brain systems and reinforce that depression is rooted in biology, not just emotions.
289-million-year-old mummified reptile reveals how breathing began on land
A remarkably preserved, mummified reptile from 289 million years ago is rewriting what we know about how animals first breathed on land. This tiny creature, Captorhinus aguti, reveals the earliest known version of the rib-powered breathing system used by modern reptiles, birds, and mammals — a crucial innovation that helped vertebrates thrive outside water.
Speed over science?
A new executive order could fast-track approval of psychedelic drugs for mental illness, raising hopes for breakthrough treatments while prompting…
Meeting people where they are: Santa Ana launches street medicine program
The program allows eligible CalOptima members experiencing homelessness to receive proactive care to support their health and stability, including primary care, behavioral health services and case management.
ServiceNow CEO downplays impact of Iran war and AI: 'Our business is doing great'
ServiceNow CEO Bill McDermott pushed back on concerns about the Iran war and AI disruption risks in an interview with CNBC's Jim Cramer.
Europe’s Most Active Volcano Just Got Stranger – Here’s Why Scientists Are Rethinking It
New research suggests Mount Etna forms from deep mantle magma pockets, possibly classifying it as a rare “petit-spot” volcano rather than a typical tectonic or hotspot volcano.
Disney employees have an AI dashboard to track who's 'tokenmaxxing'
Disney staffers have an "AI Adoption Dashboard." One Claude user invoked the chatbot 460,000 times in nine days.
Egyptian mummy has part of the 'Iliad' in its abdomen, archaeologists discover
A papyrus that contains part of Homer's "Iliad" has been discovered inside the abdomen of a mummy in Egypt. Other mummies at the cemetery had gold tongues.
Crown Center businesses welcome new Royals stadium — ‘as long as we can stay’
Several managers and employees who work in businesses inside Crown Center feel optimistic about the new baseball stadium location.
Morningstar eyes Google’s Thompson Center revamp for potential new HQ
Google's Thompson Center is among several future headquarters options the investment research firm has explored, according to people familiar with the search.
Achieving Health Equity Demands Shift to Structural Change
Advancing health equity in medicine requires a clear-eyed understanding of history, a rejection of race-based clinical assumptions and a commitment to transform research into practice, said Dr. Joseph L. Wright, senior vice president and chief health equity officer of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), in his keynote address for Weill Cornell Medicine’s eight annual Diversity Week.
ServiceNow CEO dismisses AI software threats as 'parlor tricks'
ServiceNow raises outlook as CEO Bill McDermott dismisses AI disruption fears, calling rival offerings "parlor tricks."
Behind the Shield Named a Finalist for Cynopsis Sports Awards
Behind the Shield, a seven-part docuseries following the 2025 U.S. Men’s U20 team, has been named a finalist for the 2026 Cynopsis Sports Awards.There are more than 30 categories in this year’s Cynopsis Sports Awards, recognizing an exceptional group of organizations, teams and individuals driving innovation, creativity and impact across the sports industry.
Data Science vs. Artificial Intelligence: Everything You Need to Know
Compare data science and AI career paths, degree options, and skills. Learn which field matches your goals with expert guidance from Pace University.
Showing Up, Still Misread: The Perception Gap Facing Black Men In Politics
Black men keep showing up in democracy, but media and politics misread their role—fueling disillusionment and opening space for alternatives.
Nepal’s home minister resigns, second cabinet exit in one month
Sudan Gurung steps down after less than a month in office he won on an anti-corruption platform.
Entertainment Listing: April 22
Wednesday April 22 Hangar 9 • Carbondale Carbondale Idol, 7 p.m. Open Deck Night, 10 p.m. PK’s • Carbondale Trivia, 8 p.m. Little Nashville • Marion Advertisement Bingo, 6 p.m. Thursday April 23 Hangar 9 • Carbondale Gnarly: A Girlypop dance party, 9 p.m. PK’s • Carbondale Cold Front and RGB Lighthouse, 9 p.m....
Passenger on Boston-bound JetBlue flight had measles, health officials warn
Health officials say a person with measles visited Logan Airport Terminal C, prompting an exposure alert for travelers and a push for vaccination.
Earth Day is a reminder. The planet doesn't wait for politics to...
Earth Day is a reminder. The planet doesn't wait for politics to catch up. In New Mexico, we're not waiting either. Last week, SunZia Wind came online right here in New Mexico — the largest...
iPhone 18 Pro’s new color will be a mix of these three, says leaker
A Weibo leaker has offered a unique description of the iPhone 18 Pro color option that Apple is expected to market as its flagship.
Now what for Chelsea? Five losses in a row for manager Liam Rosenior leave few good short or long-term options
As Chelsea struggle to stay in the race for a Champions League spot, what's the path to winning and profitability for their owners?
Focusing in on human health research at annual space meeting
Long-duration spaceflight can chip away at an astronaut’s health, prompting scientists to find new ways to make living in space easier on the body. The journey to outer space is incredibly dangerous, but crews must also face day-to-day hazards, such as exposure to cancer-causing radiation, microgravity and extreme isolation. Understanding and ...
Xbox Game Pass price cut but day-one Call of Duty access ended
New Call of Duty games will be added to the subscription service "about a year" after release, Microsoft said.
Ibogaine is drawing new interest from the Trump administration. Here’s what to know about the psychedelic
Psychedelic drugs, once pushed to the fringes of medicine, are gaining serious attention within the Trump administration as potential treatment options for people with certain mental health conditions. And they could soon be closer to receiving approval from the US Food and Drug Administration.
With vaccine skepticism rising, Utah health officials face uphill battle on measles education
How the lessons Utah health officials learned from the COVID-19 pandemic are shaping how they respond to the state's measles outbreak.
Why Business Leaders Need to Champion Democracy | MIT Sloan Management Review
Many leaders are unsure about what they can do to oppose the global rise of authoritarianism. Here are four options.
"Not surprising at all" - analysts see Xbox Game Pass price cut as inevitable shift that will drive subscription growth in 2026
Price drop expected to aid growth in platform users, while opinion is divided on the impact on Call of Duty revenues
4 Medications That May Increase Dementia Risk
Experts have flagged several over-the-counter and prescription medications.
4 Medications That May Increase Dementia Risk
Experts have flagged several over-the-counter and prescription medications.
How can scientists visualize cellular life with greater precision? - Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Highlights Salk researchers collaborated with scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine to develop a new class of probes for imaging living cells The probes, called visible-spectrum antigen-stabilizable fluorescent nanobodies (VIS-Fbs), generate high-contrast images with minimal disruption to normal cellular activity The technology enables more precise investigation of complex biological processes, including cell signaling, development, and disease progression LA JOLLA—Fluorescent proteins have revolutionized science, enabling researchers to tag and visualize individual molecules in living cells, tissues, and animals. Using these tools, researchers have watched viruses infect cells in real time, observed cellular trash collection, and tracked the signaling that spurs tumor growth.
Dustin Poirier: Zuffa Boxing not an option for UFC fighters
In recent years. several former or retired UFC fighters have extended their combat sports careers by transitioning to boxing. Former champions Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva and Francis Ngannou have. Ben Askren, Nate Diaz, Jorge Masvial, Mike Perry and Darren Till also have, among others. Former ...
Carter, Muller Earn Top Business Student Awards
Josiah Carter of Sanford, Fla., and Ashley Muller of Cabot received the top two annual student awards presented by the Arkansas Tech University LeMoyne Smith School of Business during an awards reception at Chambers Cafeteria West Dining Room on Tuesday, April 21. Carter is the winner of the 2026 ATU…
Medical Scans Reveal Hidden Secrets Inside Ancient Egyptian Mummies
Thousands of years later.
Trump, Pope Leo, William F. Buckley and John XXIII: An overview of Popes and Politics in America
A literary spat between ‘America’ and William F. Buckley 65 years ago is proving to have been eerily proleptic in light of Mr. Trump’s war of words against the pope and the latter’s assertion of church teaching on just war.
LISTEN: Supreme Court seems skeptical of limiting FCC's power to fine companies
Telecommunications giants Verizon and AT&T appealed to the Supreme Court after the Federal Communications Commission found they sold customers’ location data without proper safeguards and slapped the companies with hefty penalties totaling over $100 million.
Here's What's New in iOS 26.5 So Far
iOS 26.5 has been in beta since late March, with a third beta released this week. The update is relatively minor so far, which is not too surprising given that Apple is starting to shift its focus towards iOS 27. Apple will unveil iOS 27 during its WWDC 2026 keynote on June 8, and the update should be released in September. iOS 26.5 lays the groundwork for two changes, including end-to-end encryption for RCS in the Messages app and ads in the Apple Maps app.
Top Futurist Sees Major Disruption Ahead For Healthcare
Healthcare is being rapidly reshaped by AI, data, and tech giants. Futurist Thomas Koulopoulos explains why traditional providers must adapt—or be disrupted.
Apple’s Cal AI crackdown signals it’s still policing the App Store
Apple tells TechCrunch Cal AI was removed not for web payments alone, but for deceptive billing, manipulative tactics, and App Store rule violations.
Microsoft's Game Pass gets cheaper, loses launch day Call of Duty access
New Xbox CEO says subscription "has become too expensive for too many players."
Tim Cook's Legacy Is Turning Apple Into a Subscription
The soon-to-exit Apple CEO went all in on services. Now, the incoming CEO, John Ternus, will need to embrace the AI era.
Microsoft cuts Xbox Game Pass price, to remove 'Call of Duty' day one inclusions
Microsoft has dropped the price of its video game subscription service and the platform will not include future "Call of Duty" game releases on launch day, the company said on Tuesday, in the first major strategy shift under new gaming boss Asha Sharma.
'The Handyman of West Texas' Optioned by The Hideaway Entertainment
Johnathan Walton's true-crime podcast 'The Handyman of West Texas' will be developed for the screen by The Hideaway Entertainment.
The Hideaway Entertainment Options Johnathan Walton’s True-Crime Podcast ‘The Handyman of West Texas’
Johnathan Walton Media has struck a deal with The Hideaway Entertainment to develop his latest true-crime podcast, “The Handyman of West Texas,” for the screen. Walton is a popular true-crime podcast ...
Oppo announces the Find X9 Ultra with a 50MP 10x optical zoom telephoto camera
The Find X9 Ultra’s main camera is a 200-megapixel sensor. At 1/1.12 inches, Oppo says it’s the largest 200MP sensor in a phone yet, but the 10x optical zoom telephoto may be the star.
Pentagon makes flu shot optional for troops, rescinding requirement
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Tuesday that the US military will no longer require the annual flu vaccine for troops.
Stop Paying for a VPN: Firefox Just Built One Right Into Your Browser
Mozilla's built-in VPN offers an extra layer of privacy for your browser traffic without requiring a separate subscription.
At least 10 scientists tied to sensitive US research have died or disappeared in recent years, sparking federal investigation
At least 10 people tied to sensitive US nuclear and aerospace research have died or disappeared in recent years, prompting federal investigations into whether the cases are connected.
Oppo Find X9 Ultra debuts with dual 200MP cameras and 10x optical zoom
It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. After weeks of teasers, the Oppo Find X9 Ultra is now official. Oppo unveiled its latest cameraphone...
The Hasselblad In Your Pocket: Oppo’s Find X9 Ultra Challenges The Galaxy S26 Ultra
The latest phone from Oppo includes dual 200MP Hasselblad cameras and a 10x optical telephoto lens. But it doesn’t come cheap.
Shaky political science: using "simulated" elections over real-world elections
[Dear DSOS readers – this article is the latest in our “Shaky Political Science” series. In our 38 page report, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting,” released in early December, we examined over 40 studies focused on ranked choice voting. We found that many of these studies suffered from puzzling research methodologies, poorly constructed surveys, unrealistic simulated elections, cherry picked data, and faulty analyses that often were contradicted by results from real-world elections (a link to our full paper is here). Here are links to the first three articles in our series: the first one summarizing the overall results of our report, the second one analyzing a study co-authored by University of Minnesota academic Larry Jacobs, which was one of the most error-prone of all the research we reviewed in our report, and a third article showing an admirable example of two political scientists holding two other political scientists accountable for their flawed, sloppy research]. In this fourth article in our “Shaky Political Science” series, we shine a spotlight on seven studies that were web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group (the ERRG is an ad hoc committee headed by New America’s Political Reform Program and joined by the American Enterprise Institute, the Unite America Institute and Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law). This research consortium has been led by Lee Drutman, senior fellow with New America’s Political Reform Program. These seven studies are simply not credible from any objective standard about how political “science” is supposed to illuminate our understanding of either ranked choice voting or politics in general. The feature that six of these seven studies have in common is that they all used surveys – artificial, simulated elections -- to attempt to say something cogent or interesting about ranked choice voting (RCV) elections. None of them used real world data from actual RCV elections – either the 1000+ elections in the US or the many thousands of elections from places like Australia, Ireland and elsewhere where RCV has been used for 100 years. While a few of these studies conclude with some mixed positives about RCV, our analysis here is content neutral. The idea that, with a political reform like RCV, you can ask respondents in a mock, artificial election to vote with that method, with only the barest of explanation about how RCV works or its likely impacts (i.e. no spoiler candidates, majority winners, voters liberated to pick their favorite candidates, coalition-building), and then ask them their thoughts/reactions about voting in that system, with fake candidates and no real campaigning, no real exposure to an actual election or actual candidates, rests on some very puzzling assumptions. The findings of these seven studies actually are contradicted by the findings from many other studies based on real-world RCV elections. These New America studies also failed to list the real-world RCV studies in their own citations, instead including those studies that reinforced their conclusions. The seven studies featured in this article were chosen because they form a cohesive cohort which precisely illustrates one of the main points of our research paper, namely that using surveys, i.e. artificial elections, or mathematical/theoretical models, instead of real-world data, is in fact “shaky political science.” Below are summaries of our analysis of five of the seven New America studies. You can read our complete analysis of all seven studies at our paper, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting.” Choosing to “Vote As Usual” by Andre Blais, Carolina Plescia, and Semra Sevi. New America. (Blais et al., 2021). This study, web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group, used two surveys in which respondents completed ballots for simulated elections using plurality, approval, RCV and point (Score) voting. In both cases the authors provided the respondents with only minimal explanation of each method. For example, the entire explanation for RCV was “For this vote, rank the candidates from your first to your last choice (you do not need to rank them all). This is called the ranked vote.” That’s it. The study did not provide any context or explanation to survey respondents about why she/he might want to rank multiple candidates. Participants were not even told that ballots would be tabulated using an “instant” runoff, not to mention any description of RCVs ability to eliminate the spoiler effect or liberate voters to rank their favorite candidates without fear of helping the “greater evil” candidate to win. That’s like taking an iPhone back in time to 1970 and asking someone if they like it better than their rotary phone without explaining how it works. Their first survey targeted states that held 2020 Super Tuesday Democratic primaries and used the real candidates’ names in the survey; the second survey used fictitious candidates. In other words, they surveyed respondents who had only ever participated in plurality elections, had no history or background with using RCV or any of the other methods, had no clue about its likely impacts, and did not communicate how the alternative methods would be counted, and then asked them: “How satisfied are you with using each system?” Predictably, the winner was plurality elections, the system used for president, Congress, gubernatorial and state legislative elections – in other words, the method they have been using, year after year, all their voting lives. With so little explanation of RCV and its impacts, this study is simply not credible in discovering anything useful about real-world RCV elections. It merely shows that a basic voter education campaign is needed when adopting a new election system. Additionally, the result contradicts many other post-election surveys following real RCV elections, asking opinions from voters who had just participated in a RCV election, that showed a great deal of satisfaction with RCV (see details on that in Studies 22-25 in our paper, as well as the four studies cited in the review for Study 28). Share Other studies on “satisfaction” and “understanding” make similar mistakes, in terms of basing their surveys on inadequate explanation to respondents and lack of education about context. How could any survey ever hope to measure accurately, in essence simulate a real-world election, without actual campaigning candidates, the media writing about those candidates, organizations endorsing candidates and voters being inundated with crucial information? More than anything, what these “studies” based on surveys show is that if you ask voters about something they don’t know very much about, and fail to adequately educate them, their responses will unsurprisingly reflect their confusion. Equally puzzling is that New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group, headed by political scientist Lee Drutman, found this to be a credible enough study that they not only published it but highlighted it in Drutman’s own discussion of research related to ranked choice voting. This pattern was repeated in study after study featured by New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group. For example in Ranked-Choice Voting and Political Expression: Voter Guides Narrow the Gap between Informed and Uninformed Citizens by Cheryl Boudreau, Jonathan Colner, and Scott MacKenzie, the researchers based their analysis on a survey which found that respondents who were asked to vote in a simulated RCV election, with minimal explanation of RCV or how it works, displayed less evidence of being informed about how to use RCV effectively, with the least informed voters ranking fewer candidates. As pointed out under the study above, in a real election voters are informed by a wide variety of methods, including public education by the election administration, by interested political groups, the media, and the candidates themselves who benefit from voters being aware of how to vote in the new system. In Support for Ranked-Choice Voting across Race and Partisanship by Joseph Anthony, David C. Kimball, Jack Santucci and Jamil Scott, the researchers used respondents from different parties and races voting in simulated plurality and RCV elections, who indicated their satisfaction with each voting method. Instead of using real world election results, the authors fell back on the easy, armchair and less reliable academic research methodology of making up mock elections. As with the other studies, little explanation was given of how RCV works or what its implications might be (electing majority winners or eliminating spoilers, for example). Unsurprisingly, this study found that respondents were not very satisfied with RCV. However, when the authors added an explanation that RCV has a tendency to elect more women and people of color, they found that this greater explanation increased the preference for RCV. The more voters were familiar with it, and the more they understood potential positive impacts – surprise! -- the more they were open to switching away from the status quo. Of note, the results from this study are thoroughly contradicted by a number of other studies whose data was obtained from real RCV elections with real voters. Those studies show a great deal of satisfaction with RCV. More “fake election” research An interesting wrinkle on this “research by fake elections” approach, which only served to illustrate how unreliable such “research” can become, was taken in Ranked-Choice Voting, Runoff, and Democracy: Insights from Maine and Other U.S. States by Joseph Cerrone and Cynthia McClintock_,_ also web-hosted and funded by New America’s ERRG. It gets high marks for creativity, but an eye-roll for thinking this could possibly add anything meaningful to our understanding of real world RCV elections. This study tried to determine whether RCV, plurality or two-round runoff elections provided greater voter satisfaction and acceptance of election results. To determine that, the authors conducted a survey asking if voters were satisfied with a fictional newspaper report of an election, with three different versions given to respondents – plurality, runoff and RCV, with variations of Republican/Democrat winners and variations of “come-from-behind” winners,” i.e. candidates not initially in first place but who win the “runoff.” Again, a minimal explanation of RCV or how it works was given, and the survey showed that respondents had the greatest unfamiliarity with RCV than the other methods. The unsurprising result? Respondents were much more satisfied with “come-from-behind” victories in a traditional two-round runoff election than in RCV, even though RCV is also a runoff system but with a single round of counting. Interestingly, the dissatisfaction with RCV disappeared for those who were more familiar with RCV. In fact, among those respondents who were “very familiar” with RCV, they were equally satisfied with RCV, runoff and plurality. Surprise, surprise. Again, what this study revealed, more than anything, is not only the inadequacy of the explanation for RCV given by the authors of this study, but the failure of the research format itself, thinking that such an artificial mock election could somehow simulate what actually happens in the real world in a real RCV election. Those four studies reviewed above are fitting examples of inadequate and shaky political “science.” Other studies reviewed in our paper from the New America/Electoral Reform Research Group cohort which also used mock elections included: Ranked-Choice Voting is an Acquired Taste by Joseph Anthony and David C. Kimball. New America. (Anthony et al., 2021). Ranked-Choice Voting is No Refuge for Extreme Candidates by Melissa Baker. New America. (Baker, 2021). Also included in this New America cohort is Does Ranked-Choice Voting Reduce Racial Polarization? by Yuki Atsusaka and Theodore Landsman, which actually did use real-world election results data but applied an odd and unconventional methodology to the data which relied on shaky assumptions and non-real-world scenarios that were too divorced from reality. To determine levels of “racially polarized voting,” the researchers imagined “ethnic parties,” by which they mean political parties for each ethnic group, which was especially odd since the election data they were using came from nonpartisan RCV races. But then they made an even odder assumption, namely that since race and ethnic characteristics of studied voters were not available, the authors tried to infer that information based on who voters selected and the racial make-up of voters in each district. This amounted to little more than vague and ambiguous guesswork dressed up with a bunch of mathematical equations used to give it a veneer of scientific appearance. Indeed, it seemed to assume racial polarization in order to prove racial polarization. Based on this questionable methodology, the authors concluded that RCV doesn’t reduce racial polarization. But the premise of this study missed an obvious reality: since RCV incentivizes more candidates to run and can result in more diverse fields of candidates, one would expect more racially-polarized voting in voters’ top rankings, not less, because more voters would have someone on that ballot who represents their racial or ethnic identity and more freedom to vote for their real first choice. By encouraging more diverse candidates and eliminating the spoiler effect, RCV facilitates voting for a favorite candidate of your own race and then selecting a second choice with the best likelihood of winning. The real measure is what voters do with their additional rankings – do they consider other candidates and vote “for the best of the rest”? This study didn’t tell us anything useful about that. But readily available data shows this is common in real RCV elections, and candidates act on this knowledge by engaging with voters outside their racial group. So the authors of this study failed to consider or account for what actually happens in real-world elections, and their conclusions are tainted by this failure. New America has contributed a great deal over the past 2.5 decades to our understanding of many policy areas, including politics and political reform (full disclosure: Steven Hill, one of the authors of this article and of the “Shaky Political Science” research paper and series, is a former senior fellow and former director of New America’s political reform program, 2005-2010). So it was especially disappointing that New America funded and published such a large batch of dubious studies about ranked choice voting. The stated praiseworthy goal of its Electoral Reform Research Group was to inspire new academic research about ranked choice voting that would shed light and help the public better understand the impacts of RCV. Instead, the ERRG research did just the opposite. It produced dubious research that created more confusion and misinformation. In so doing, New America’s political reform program contributed to “shaky political science.” Steven Hill and Paul Haughey Share Upgrade to $5 subscription Thanks for reading DemocracySOS, a reader-supported digital portal for the pro-democracy movement. Subscribe for only $5 per month to receive full benefits and to support our work. Subscribe
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