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On the Record | BBC U.S. Special Correspondent and 'The Rest is Politics' Co-host Katty Kay
CCWF staff focus on mental health awareness
Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) in Chowchilla hosted a special May 12 mental health event for staff.
Linda Julien launches bid to succeed Oliver Gilbert on Miami-Dade Commission
Julien enters the race as speculation intensifies about Gilbert’s future in Congress.
Windows 11 gets big Start menu update with modular, resizable design in new build
Windows 11 is getting more Start menu customization, with the latest build now allowing you to toggle on or off specific parts of it.
The World Around Us Shapes The Health Within Us
For many years, we have treated human health and environmental health as separate conversations. My own life has taught me otherwise.
Hoda Kotb Makes Surprise Return to ‘Today’ for Special Celebration
See Kotb's sweet interaction with Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones.
Hoda Kotb Makes Surprise Return to ‘Today’ for Special Celebration
See Kotb's sweet interaction with Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones.
Politics Friday Special: Democrats and Republicans convene for their party conventions
Friday at noon, a special broadcast of Politics Friday from the DFL convention in Rochester and the GOP convention in Duluth. Join us for a look at how the candidates and parties are diving deeper into this year’s midterm election campaign.
Still ringing a bell: F5 marks its 30th year in business
Seattle-based F5 marked 30 years in business Friday by ringing the Nasdaq opening bell. The application-delivery and security company has grown to $3.1 billion in annual revenue and outlived nearly all the marquee customers and the three investment banks listed in its 1999 IPO prospectus.
‘007 First Light’ Is The Uncontroversial Hit Of 2026 With Huge 24 Hour Sales
Sales data is in for 007 First Light, and it's done enormous numbers in 24 hours, including being a game that everyone seems to love.
Exclusive | Trump Administration Wants Autos Under USMCA to Be at Least 50% Made in America
The president’s negotiators are to propose half of components and materials come from American sources. The pact currently doesn’t have a U.S.-specific requirement.
‘Respect for rule of law’: Miami-Dade Fraternal Order of Police backs Destiny Alvarez for Circuit Court Judge
There's a Donald Trump angle to Alvarez's bid.
PlayStation’s Days of Play Sale: Both Ghost of Yotei and Ghost of Tsushima Just Hit Their Lowest Prices Ever, and Even the Collector’s Edition Is $100 Off
During PlayStation's Days of Play sale, Ghost of Yotei and Ghost of Tsushima have both seen big discounts that's dropped their prices to $49 and $29, respectively.
What to know about the Bundibugyo virus, form of Ebola causing an outbreak in Congo
The virus causing an outbreak in Congo suspected of killing more than 200 people is less common than others that cause Ebola disease, which is complicating the response because there are no specific treatments or vaccines.
Casino experts react to Fertitta buying Caesars Entertainment
Fertitta Entertainment’s nearly $18 billion acquisition of Caesars Entertainment has casino experts speculating what changes will come to the Las Vegas Strip. W
Maternal health knowledge strong, but gaps remain, survey finds
Most Americans know that how well a mother takes care of herself before and during pregnancy affects the health of a baby, but many people remain unclear about some specific maternal health recommendations, ...
‘Destiny 2’ Reveals Its Last Update Will Be Its Best In Years
Destiny 2 is putting out one final update before it ceases development, and its bittersweet, given how good it will be.
Turning Silence Into Advocacy: Women Reshaping Cancer Conversations
The sixth season of Science Will Win, Pfizer’s award-winning podcast, focused on cancer, with each episode tackling a different aspect of the fight against the disease.
Inside 'The End of Oak Street': How Anne Hathaway ended up fighting dinosaurs in suburbia
'The End of Oak Street' combines prehistoric spectacle and grounded family drama, says director David Robert Mitchell, who called upon his childhood love of dinosaurs to craft the original sci-fi adventure.
Chernin Entertainment Lands Rom Com Spec 'One Month Mark'
Chernin Entertainment has boarded rom com 'One Month Mark'
A Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective on seasonal health and nutrition - Baylor College of Medicine Blog Network
Learn more about Traditional Chinese Medicine and its emphasis on living in harmony with seasonal rhythms.
Future of Personal Health—Mental Health Campaign
Media Planet recently spotlighted the mental health story of Special Olympics Minnesota athlete, Kayte Barton in a story titled, "Closing the Mental Health Gap for People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities” as part of their Mental Health Awareness Month campaign. The story details how Kayte leveraged her own challenges accessing mental health care to help develop Special Olympics Strong Minds, the mental discipline of Special Olympics Healthy Athletes®.
This newly discovered raptor may have hunted like a giant heron
A newly discovered raptor-like dinosaur from Patagonia is changing how scientists think about ancient predators. Named Kank australis, the 70-million-year-old dinosaur appears to have hunted fish much like modern herons, using a long, flexible neck and specialized vertebrae adapted for swift, precise movements.
Closing the Mental Health Gap for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Future of Personal Health captures the impactful work being accomplished by Special Olympics to mitigate the gap in mental health care for people with disabilities. The following is an excerpt from the article titled Closing the Mental Health Gap for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities:
Maternal health knowledge strong, but gaps remain
An Annenberg Public Policy Center survey finds that, while most Americans know that the health of a pregnant person affects the health of the baby, uncertainty about specific maternal health recommendations remains.
A New Perspective on the Universe, a Breakthrough in Medical Equity: Top Honours at the 2026 Canada-Wide Science Fair
Youth Science Canada presented the top awards at the 2026 Canada-Wide Science Fair (CWSF) on Thursday evening in Edmonton, Alta.
Rare Pigmentation In A Deep-Sea Shark Could Change How Scientists Think About Camouflage
A rare deep-sea sevengill shark with unusual patchy coloration was found to be in poor energetic condition, suggesting that even subtle disruptions to camouflage in the deep ocean may carry real survival costs.
SOCOM chief says military must 'creatively destroy' old training
The top special operations leader says the military must cut outdated training to prepare troops for drones, electronic warfare, and future conflicts.
Vipotnik named in BBC's Championship team of season
Swansea City striker Zan Vipotnik has been included in BBC Sport's Championship team of the season. The Slovenian scored a total of 25 goals in his second season with Swansea - of which 23 goals were scored in 43 league games. Two former Swansea City players were also recognised after helping their respective clubs secure promotion to the Premier League.
Rafael Nadal Netflix series “Rafa” offers introspection that sports documentaries can lack
The window into the 22-time Grand Slam champion's final season is more unsparing than many sports documentaries.
The nation’s cartoonists on the week in politics
Every week political cartoonists throughout the country and across the political spectrum apply their ink-stained skills to capture the foibles, memes, hypocrisies and other head-slapping events in the world of politics. The fruits of these labors are hundreds of cartoons that entertain and enrage readers of all political stripes. Here's an offering of the best of this week's crop, picked fresh off the Toonosphere. Edited by Matt Wuerker.
Leahy, Russo represent MHS at National Women and Girls in Sports Day
On May 19, the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association hosted the annual celebration of National Women and Girls in Sports Day at Faneuil Hall in Boston. This event recognizes two exceptional female athletes from each high school in the state. It’s designed to honor their contributions to their respective sports, commitment to sportsmanship and excellence in
How Success Silently Becomes A Great Executive's Biggest Health Risk
Success has a paradoxical effect on an executive's health. These three traits drive peak performance while silently masking physiological decline.
Casino experts react to Fertitta buying Caesars Entertainment
Fertitta Entertainment’s nearly $18 billion acquisition of Caesars Entertainment has casino experts speculating what changes will come to the Las Vegas Strip.
Johnson Health Center bringing Mobile Healthcare to Brookneal
In Brookneal, access to healthcare can be a challenge, especially with limited medical and dental providers in the area.
View from the Other Side: Tyler Young from Camden Chat
The Baltimore Orioles went into the 2026 offseason with a purpose, making significant moves like signing slugger Pete Alonso, Ryan Helsley, and Leody Taveras and dipping into their deep farm system to trade for Taylor Ward, Andrew Kittredge and Shane Baz. Between those moves and the graduation of top prospects like Sam Basallo, many considered […]
Cheers to 45 years: A career fueled by initiative
Valorie Nelson, HIMS operations specialist, joined what was then Pitt County Memorial Hospital in 1981 as a high school student.
A Republican club is back in Miami Beach after 30 years. That’s not a fluke
Republicans are organizing again on Miami Beach as Florida’s political shift continues | Opinion
'Landman' star Sam Elliott says fans flock to hit show to escape the ‘s---' in the world today
Sam Elliott says "Landman" viewers are drawn to the show as a "great escape" from modern stress, offering his perspective on why comfort entertainment resonates with audiences.
NGA Convenes Governors Health and Human Services Policy Advisors Institute to Strengthen Healthcare Delivery and Sustainability in States
NEW ORLEANS – The National Governors Association (NGA) this week convened its annual Governors Health and Human Services Policy Advisors Institute in New Orleans. Leaders from 34 states and territories shared perspectives on issues including healthcare affordability, maintaining program integrity in Health and Human Services delivery systems and sustaining overdose prevention efforts. “Governors are on […]
Best of Santa Cruz County entertainment, arts & food events this weekend, May 28-31
With the weekend nearly here, check out things to do around Santa Cruz County with a recommendation from Lily Belli and a specially curated list from Lookout's BOLO events calendar.
Sherrill: Health Inspector Denied Full Inspection of Delaney Hall
The New Jersey Department of Health today sought to conduct a health inspection of Delaney Hall, but it was denied full access
State budget delivering $30 million in aid to Syracuse
The city of Syracuse will receive a total of $30 million in additional aid through the 2026-27 state budget, officials said.
Pigeons use their livers to sense Earth’s magnetic field
Special immune cells may be one piece of their internal compass.
Babson Explores What AI Means for Business and Humanity · Babson Thought & Action
A Babson symposium examines AI's jagged frontier and its meaning for humanity, especially its implications for business and entrepreneurship.
AI Advice From Anthropic’s Head Of U.S. Small Business
Anthropic’s Lina Ochman explains how small businesses can use Claude, AI workflows, data connectors and employee-like prompting to save time.
'Business-Like' Approach Has Canes One Win Shy Of Stanley Cup Final
"I don’t think we’re an overconfident group. I think we’re a confident group in what we do, and we respect every minute of the playoffs."
Nithya Rajan’s journey from the field to the forefront of crop science
Nithya Rajan, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife agronomist and cropping system researcher, developed a producer-outcome perspective for soil science.
New Specialized Crux goes all in on aero gravel, with a 15-watt improvement, new geometry, and lighter builds
Does this mean 'cross is dead?
Hidden in plain sight: DNA reveals 15 overlooked coral lineages in the Indo-Pacific
Scientists have discovered that one of the ocean's most recognizable corals, the iconic “organ pipe coral” — long believed to be a single widespread species — includes at least 15 genetically distinct lineages. Two of these lineages are currently known only from the Red Sea. The findings, publish
Mitloehner named UC Davis animal science chair
Professor and air quality specialist is the founding director of the CLEAR Center.
Rochester to receive $20M in aid as part of state budget
It's part of a $135 million package of additional funding, on top of Gov. Kathy Hochul's original budget proposal, to help distressed cities across the state.
Black Women Political Candidates Are Expected to Be 'Likable,' Qualified and Tireless. Men Aren’t.
What I had experienced during that run wasn’t entirely unfamiliar to me. The year before, in 2013, I had run for president of the Young Democrats of America (YDA), a national political party office role, against a popular opponent. The opponent was a Black man, so race wasn’t a factor in the election; however, gender was. Before my campaign, I was vice president of YDA and had heard only good things about my service: my fundraising efforts, the partnerships I had engineered with progressive organizations, and programming coordination for the membership. However, when I decided to run for president, I instantly became ‘difficult to work with’ and ‘mean.’ Research on women candidates confirms that voters are less likely to vote for a woman if they don’t like her; by comparison, voters don’t need to like men to elect them. But when I was running as the Black woman candidate in a seven-candidate primary for public office, with two other women in the race, I noticed almost nothing about my being ‘difficult’ and more about my ability and work ethic. My experience running for public office reflected the systemic bias and double standards not just for women candidates, but Black women candidates who dare to aspire to any sort of political leadership—and that needed to change. We need more progressive Black women in public office for a myriad reasons, but we also specifically need the younger generation of Instigators in office, candidates who understand the times in which we live currently. Electing more Black women will take real investment in changing the biases and attitudes (conscious and unconscious) of mostly white donors, media, campaign staff, consultants and institutional leaders to help shift the culture and systems. But this support needs to be substantively increased so that we can rebuild an inclusive, multiracial democracy with the leaders we want and need. (Excerpted from The Instigators: How Black Women Have Been Essential to American Democracy by Atima Omara.)
Inside the fight against ‘zombie deer disease,’ scientists confront changing politics
Many states, including Louisiana, have adopted policies aimed at stopping healthy deer from coming into contact with infected deer and environments. But those efforts could soon be dialed back at the will of state legislators, worrying scientists who study the disease and its expansion.
The Science Of The Beauty Box Boom
Best of The Summer Beauty Edits & the psychology of why we buy them. Beauty boxes from Sephora, Cult Beauty and Boots are booming as shoppers chase luxury beauty bargains, curated discovery and the psychology of smart spending.
Caesars—A Las Vegas Landmark—Will Be Sold For Nearly $6 Billion
Caesars agreed to the purchase in a Thursday announcement.
New Info On ‘Destiny 2’ Alarm Bells, Marathon’s Role And ‘Destiny Infinity’ Pitch
Destiny 2's autopsy is in motion, and there's new information on what went wrong, what part Marathon has played and what could have been.
Clean Water, Hospital Construction Among Tribal Health Concerns at Senate Budget Hearing
Health care was the focus of last week’s Senate Indian Affairs Committee budget hearing as lawmakers pressed agency leaders on Indian Health Service funding cuts. While the FY 2027 budget requests $9.1 billion in discretionary funding for the IHS, the budget cuts several key programs, including sanitation facilities, special diabetes programs and scholarships for health […]
Polish scientists and students rally in campaign for 3% funding target
Polish scientists and students have been flooding social media with calls on the government to raise research and development spending as part of 3% for Science, 100% for Poland, a campaign born earlier this month out of frustration with chronic underfunding in the academic sector. On May 27, thousands took the slogan on to the streets.The EU has been trying to convince member states to raise their R&D expenditures to 3% of GDP for more than two decades, but the idea has never gained traction in capitals. Finance ministers were too busy plugging budget holes created in the aftermath of the 2008 crisis, then the Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and now the war in Iran.Critics say that countries missed or ignored the target because it is voluntary, but also because research communities have rarely raised their voice to put pressure on national governments. The European Commission hopes to make the target legally binding in the upcoming European Research Area Act, an EU-wide regulation that should be announced by the end of the year. Academia in Poland has been faced with a funding crisis for years, often leaving its members with no other choice but to work abroad in order to access better resources, or leave the sector altogether in the hope of earning a decent living. The risk, in the long-term, is that brain drain stifles local innovation capacity and technological competitiveness.In just a few weeks, the movement rallied nationwide support, including from major academic bodies and trade unions such as the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland and the Presidium of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Its public petition collected more than 23,000 signatures. On May 27, it formed the first large protest for science in Poland, gathering thousands of people in front of the parliament building in Warsaw.Ilona Uryga-Bugajska, representative of the Marie Curie Alumni Association Poland Chapter, was there. “The protest was peaceful, with no incidents reported, and the entire event took place in a respectful and calm atmosphere,” she said. Banners she saw in the crowd carried slogans such as “A little longer and I’ll be teaching in a supermarket,” “National culture, starvation salary,” “Stop the destruction of science,” “Passion will not pay the rent,” “Without action, don’t expect a better future,” and “Pull science out of the hole.” She also observed a strong presence of young researchers, who are on the frontline of Poland’s academic crisis.“Academics are usually people who prefer discussion, analysis, dialogue and compromise. We are not a group that protests easily,” said Katarzyna Marzec, professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Jagiellonian University Medical College and AGH University of Krakow, who also took part. “But many of us feel that we have been pushed against the wall.”Aleksandra Rutkowska, translational neuroscientist and research group leader at the Medical University of Gdańsk, agreed. “Frustration in the scientific community is very high,” she said. “Science is often used politically as a symbol of innovation and modernity, but the everyday reality inside many institutions is much more difficult. There is a large gap between the public narrative and the actual condition of the sector.”Maria Wiktoria Górna, head of the structural biology group at the University of Warsaw and one of the organisers of the movement, told Science|Business that the campaign would continue without proven results. This might involve another strike in the autumn, she said. “Empty promises are not enough by now.”Campaign demandsAccording to Uryga-Bugajska, the organisers officially presented their demands and concerns to representatives of the government present at the event. These included Marek Gzik, deputy minister of science and higher education, and Karolina Zioło-Pużuk, secretary of state of that same ministry.The headline demand, for the government to increase national spending on R&D to 3% of GDP by 2030, should be within Poland’s economic capacity, Rutkowska said. “The real question is whether there is genuine long-term political commitment to treating science as a strategic priority rather than a slogan.”In 2024, R&D expenditure in Poland stood at 1.41% of GDP, which is slightly above the average for central and eastern Europe, with countries such as Czechia recording 1.82%, Hungary 1.31% and Romania 0.46%. However, it falls noticeably short of the EU average of 2.24%, which just a handful of countries exceed, including Germany, Belgium and Sweden.Campaigners are also asking for fair wages for scientific staff, including PhD stipends and junior academic salaries, which are widely considered uncompetitive. Starting doctoral scholarships amount to some €843 gross per month, when the statutory minimum wage stands at €1,135. By pushing early-career researchers out of Poland, growing precarity has caused a generational gap in the academic workforce, with just 25% of lecturers aged under 40. In this context, the movement fears that scientific careers could soon be accessible to a privileged minority only.Grzegorz Spólnik is a case in point. After 15 years working in mass spectrometry at the Polish Academy of Sciences, he decided to leave partly “to earn enough money to live a normal life,” he said. “At that time, my earnings were similar to those of people working in grocery shops, and the work-life balance is something that does not exist in science, or is very hard to achieve.”Now a senior field service engineer for Polish laboratory equipment supplier Bioanalytic, he would consider going back to research, “but never in the public sector, maybe some start-up or a big private company with ambitious R&D.”The campaigners want to see more support for basic research and have called for €236 million to be added to the budget of the National Science Centre (NCN) in 2027 so that the average grant application success rate does not fall below 25%.“At the protest, there was a banner I particularly liked: ‘NCN is not a lottery.’ Unfortunately, for many researchers, it increasingly feels exactly like one,” Marzec said. “Personally, I am one of the lucky ones. I work at two of the strongest institutions in the country, where the research standards are very high. I know that in many other institutions, the situation is much worse and obtaining funding for research at an early-career stage is becoming nearly impossible.”Rutkowska also considers herself fortunate. After studying abroad and holding a postdoctoral position, she returned to Poland, where her pay was supported through an NCN-funded project linked to the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. “This also made me very aware that good research conditions in Poland often depend on external competitive funding rather than on stable support from the system itself,” she said.Long-term strategyBeyond the lack of funds for both salaries and grants, scientists believe that the issue is structural. “The biggest problem at the moment is the complete lack of a clear long-term strategy for the development of science and research from the current government,” Marzec said. “Everything ends with declarations and promises that are never truly followed by concrete actions or structural reforms.”Rutkowska agreed, citing a lack of infrastructure, continuity and long-term institutional support.“Running a research group in Poland often means functioning as an entire institution at once,” she said. “I am a principal investigator, a mentor, a recruiter, a project administrator and, when needed, still someone who returns to the lab bench to help with experiments,” she went on. “This creates a large hidden workload that takes time and energy away from actual science. At times, it feels as though scientists are no longer expecting extra help; we simply hope the system will stop creating additional obstacles that make research unnecessarily difficult.”Related articlesStrategic thinking: Germany funds joint research with Poland and FrancePoland to transfer €30M of regional funds to boost Horizon Europe participationPoland is funding fewer basic research grants as high inflation hitsIn short, “academics are expected to teach, publish papers, apply for grants and conduct high-quality research, while funding and salaries remain very limited,” said Uryga-Bugajska, who returned to her home country after 13 years in the UK.According to Marzec, another issue is the way that research institutions are evaluated. Previously, this took place every four years, with a clear differentiation between stronger and weaker institutions. “The current government, perhaps to avoid political backlash, effectively concluded that everyone is doing well, so in practice no meaningful evaluation took place,” she said.But in her view, “some form of serious assessment is necessary” to ensure the excellence and international competitiveness of Polish institutions, and to determine how to best use public resources and where institutional structures need reform. “Some institutions may need to rethink hiring practices in order to attract ambitious young researchers who are capable of obtaining competitive grants and building internationally visible research groups.” Rutkowska has already had to adapt. “When hiring PhD students, I often have to combine different funding sources creatively to make positions attractive enough for talented people to stay in science,” she said. “Many young researchers do not see a stable future in academia in Poland, and that is deeply worrying.”
DNA solves 250-year-old mystery of the Seychelles’ lost crocodiles
Scientists have solved the mystery of the Seychelles’ vanished crocodiles using DNA from historic museum specimens. The reptiles were not a unique species after all, but an isolated population of saltwater crocodiles that likely drifted thousands of kilometers across the Indian Ocean.
Polish scientists and students rally in campaign for better conditions
Polish scientists and students have been flooding social media with calls on the government to raise research and development spending as part of 3% for Science, 100% for Poland, a campaign born earlier this month out of frustration with chronic underfunding in the academic sector. On May 27, thousands took the slogan on to the streets.The EU has been trying to convince member states to raise their R&D expenditures to 3% of GDP for more than two decades, but the idea has never gained traction in capitals. Finance ministers were too busy plugging budget holes created in the aftermath of the 2008 crisis, then the Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and now the war in Iran.Critics say that countries missed or ignored the target because it is voluntary, but also because research communities have rarely raised their voice to put pressure on national governments. The European Commission hopes to make the target legally binding in the upcoming European Research Area Act, an EU-wide regulation that should be announced by the end of the year. Academia in Poland has been faced with a funding crisis for years, often leaving its members with no other choice but to work abroad in order to access better resources, or leave the sector altogether in the hope of earning a decent living. The risk, in the long-term, is that brain drain stifles local innovation capacity and technological competitiveness.In just a few weeks, the movement rallied nationwide support, including from major academic bodies and trade unions such as the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland and the Presidium of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Its public petition collected more than 23,000 signatures. On May 27, it formed the first large protest for science in Poland, gathering thousands of people in front of the parliament building in Warsaw.Ilona Uryga-Bugajska, representative of the Marie Curie Alumni Association Poland Chapter, was there. “The protest was peaceful, with no incidents reported, and the entire event took place in a respectful and calm atmosphere,” she said. Banners she saw in the crowd carried slogans such as “A little longer and I’ll be teaching in a supermarket,” “National culture, starvation salary,” “Stop the destruction of science,” “Passion will not pay the rent,” “Without action, don’t expect a better future,” and “Pull science out of the hole.” She also observed a strong presence of young researchers, who are on the frontline of Poland’s academic crisis.“Academics are usually people who prefer discussion, analysis, dialogue and compromise. We are not a group that protests easily,” said Katarzyna Marzec, professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Jagiellonian University Medical College and AGH University of Krakow, who also took part. “But many of us feel that we have been pushed against the wall.”Aleksandra Rutkowska, translational neuroscientist and research group leader at the Medical University of Gdańsk, agreed. “Frustration in the scientific community is very high,” she said. “Science is often used politically as a symbol of innovation and modernity, but the everyday reality inside many institutions is much more difficult. There is a large gap between the public narrative and the actual condition of the sector.”Maria Wiktoria Górna, head of the structural biology group at the University of Warsaw and one of the organisers of the movement, told Science|Business that the campaign would continue without proven results. This might involve another strike in the autumn, she said. “Empty promises are not enough by now.”Campaign demandsAccording to Uryga-Bugajska, the organisers officially presented their demands and concerns to representatives of the government present at the event. These included Marek Gzik, deputy minister of science and higher education, and Karolina Zioło-Pużuk, secretary of state of that same ministry.The headline demand, for the government to increase national spending on R&D to 3% of GDP by 2030, should be within Poland’s economic capacity, Rutkowska said. “The real question is whether there is genuine long-term political commitment to treating science as a strategic priority rather than a slogan.”In 2024, R&D expenditure in Poland stood at 1.41% of GDP, which is slightly above the average for central and eastern Europe, with countries such as Czechia recording 1.82%, Hungary 1.31% and Romania 0.46%. However, it falls noticeably short of the EU average of 2.24%, which just a handful of countries exceed, including Germany, Belgium and Sweden.Campaigners are also asking for fair wages for scientific staff, including PhD stipends and junior academic salaries, which are widely considered uncompetitive. Starting doctoral scholarships amount to some €843 gross per month, when the statutory minimum wage stands at €1,135. By pushing early-career researchers out of Poland, growing precarity has caused a generational gap in the academic workforce, with just 25% of lecturers aged under 40. In this context, the movement fears that scientific careers could soon be accessible to a privileged minority only.Grzegorz Spólnik is a case in point. After 15 years working in mass spectrometry at the Polish Academy of Sciences, he decided to leave partly “to earn enough money to live a normal life,” he said. “At that time, my earnings were similar to those of people working in grocery shops, and the work-life balance is something that does not exist in science, or is very hard to achieve.”Now a senior field service engineer for Polish laboratory equipment supplier Bioanalytic, he would consider going back to research, “but never in the public sector, maybe some start-up or a big private company with ambitious R&D.”The campaigners want to see more support for basic research and have called for €236 million to be added to the budget of the National Science Centre (NCN) in 2027 so that the average grant application success rate does not fall below 25%.“At the protest, there was a banner I particularly liked: ‘NCN is not a lottery.’ Unfortunately, for many researchers, it increasingly feels exactly like one,” Marzec said. “Personally, I am one of the lucky ones. I work at two of the strongest institutions in the country, where the research standards are very high. I know that in many other institutions, the situation is much worse and obtaining funding for research at an early-career stage is becoming nearly impossible.”Rutkowska also considers herself fortunate. After studying abroad and holding a postdoctoral position, she returned to Poland, where her pay was supported through an NCN-funded project linked to the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. “This also made me very aware that good research conditions in Poland often depend on external competitive funding rather than on stable support from the system itself,” she said.Long-term strategyBeyond the lack of funds for both salaries and grants, scientists believe that the issue is structural. “The biggest problem at the moment is the complete lack of a clear long-term strategy for the development of science and research from the current government,” Marzec said. “Everything ends with declarations and promises that are never truly followed by concrete actions or structural reforms.”Rutkowska agreed, citing a lack of infrastructure, continuity and long-term institutional support.“Running a research group in Poland often means functioning as an entire institution at once,” she said. “I am a principal investigator, a mentor, a recruiter, a project administrator and, when needed, still someone who returns to the lab bench to help with experiments,” she went on. “This creates a large hidden workload that takes time and energy away from actual science. At times, it feels as though scientists are no longer expecting extra help; we simply hope the system will stop creating additional obstacles that make research unnecessarily difficult.”Related articlesStrategic thinking: Germany funds joint research with Poland and FrancePoland to transfer €30M of regional funds to boost Horizon Europe participationPoland is funding fewer basic research grants as high inflation hitsIn short, “academics are expected to teach, publish papers, apply for grants and conduct high-quality research, while funding and salaries remain very limited,” said Uryga-Bugajska, who returned to her home country after 13 years in the UK.According to Marzec, another issue is the way that research institutions are evaluated. Previously, this took place every four years, with a clear differentiation between stronger and weaker institutions. “The current government, perhaps to avoid political backlash, effectively concluded that everyone is doing well, so in practice no meaningful evaluation took place,” she said.But in her view, “some form of serious assessment is necessary” to ensure the excellence and international competitiveness of Polish institutions, and to determine how to best use public resources and where institutional structures need reform. “Some institutions may need to rethink hiring practices in order to attract ambitious young researchers who are capable of obtaining competitive grants and building internationally visible research groups.” Rutkowska has already had to adapt. “When hiring PhD students, I often have to combine different funding sources creatively to make positions attractive enough for talented people to stay in science,” she said. “Many young researchers do not see a stable future in academia in Poland, and that is deeply worrying.”
Americans are dropping out of Obamacare, especially in Kentucky
More Americans are dropping out or being kicked off Obamacare health insurance for non-payment than in past years, according to data through April from half a dozen states that sell the plans themselves.
Phillies' Cristopher Sanchez found his historical outing 'special'
Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sanchez, on Wednesday, surpassed Grover Cleveland Alexander for the franchise record for scoreless innings (44.2).
Bungie details Marathon Season 2 and the new Sentinel class, with a free-to-play week and special sale planned, too
Ahead of Marathon Season 2's kickoff next week, Bungie has given us an extensive look at all the seasonal content planned, and announced a F2P week.
UToledo Scientists Develop New Method to Estimate Hidden Species
The new model for collecting species data within ecosystems is published in the May issue of Ecological Informatics.
Weeks in Review: Spring Sports Wrap-Up
With deadweek and finals quickly approaching, the end of the 2025-26 academic year also marks the end of all seasons for Seattle University Athletics. For the final “Week in Review” of the year, let’s take a look at how the teams that competed in the spring season finished their West Coast Conference (WCC) debut. Softball ...
Biden's ghostwriter tapes lawsuit all about 'politics': Juan Williams
Fox News senior political analyst Juan Williams discusses why former President Joe Biden is suing the Justice Department to block the release of audio recordings on 'Special Report.'
31 hours with the spit-shined Mina the Hollower (and 34 with the four games that came before it)
To truly appreciate Mina The Hollower, an extraordinary new throwback of a game, I sent myself to Yacht Club University. That’s not a real institution of higher learning, but it’s the best way I can explain much of the past several weeks as I prepared to play Mina by playing the four biggest game previously made by studio Yacht Club Games. I had expected Mina the Hollower, in development for six years for PC and consoles, to potentially be something special. A demo I tried in March had felt great. Mina the Hollower had an old-school premise: a singular move for its hero that felt so good to control and so rich with possibilities that, in the hands of skilled designers, it could be riffed on in various ways for the length of a full game. Mina’s core maneuver, her hollowing, made her sort of an upside down Super Mario. Nintendo’s hero jumps through the air, discovering power-ups at the apex of his jump by bonking overhead blocks, then defeating enemies by landing on them. Mina essentially jumps into the ground, digging (“hollowing”) into the earth to fetch buried treasure, then burrows for a short distance to emerge on the other side of a wall that hides treasure or an enemy that needs some battering. I wanted to understand how good Yacht Club was at making games. I wanted to see how far they’d come. If Mina was terrific—as I predicted it might be—I wanted to feel how they got there, one button press at a time. On May 6, 21 days before the writing of this review, I checked with Yacht Club Games co-founder and programmer David D’Angelo, to ask which of the studio’s games I should play to truly appreciate the new one’s design. “Hmmm all of them?” he wrote back. “Starting with Shovel Knight definitely is helpful,” he continued, referring to Yacht Club’s first game. He gave me a link to a spreadsheet of over 400 cheat codes that could help me out, if I found the game too tough.1 “Most folks say Specter of Torment is the least difficult and quickest to finish in terms of playtime, and [it] refines much of Shovel Knight,” he told me. “King of Cards is a big celebration of everything we did in [the Shovel Knight compilation] Treasure Trove— might work for you better if you’re a fan of shorter, Mario-style courses. And it’s probably the closest to Mina in terms of polish.” So that was that. Four games, none of which were required. Mina is a whole new game in a whole new world, best I can tell. I’d barely played that first Shovel Knight before and never the other three. I just thought it’d help. It did. It turns out that playing a game studios major works before their latest is very illuminating.
Uganda closes its border with Congo, where suspected cases of rare Ebola type are surging
The measure, which goes against the guidance by the World Health Organization, underscores growing fears of contagion in East Africa from Bundibugyo, a rare type of the Ebola virus that is behind this outbreak and that has no approved medicines or vaccines.
Mental Health Is This Compassionate CEO’s Greatest Business Strategy
Milenthal worked to create a culture where talking about mental health isn’t career suicide — it's just talking.
Mental Health Is This Compassionate CEO’s Greatest Business Strategy
Milenthal worked to create a culture where talking about mental health isn’t career suicide — it's just talking.
Special taxing district buzz: Cut property taxes, but not mosquito control
'Without air conditioning and mosquito control, Florida would not have experienced the extraordinary growth and quality of life residents and visitors enjoy today.'
From Art And Science To Current Affairs: The 30 Under 30 Asia Content Creators Using Their Platforms To Educate And Entertain
Content creators on the 30 Under 30 Asia: Social Media, Marketing & Advertising list are inspiring others to pursue their passion and demystifying complex topics for a Gen-Z audience.
Jalen Hurts Not Concerned With The A.J. Brown Trade Speculation
Week after week it looks more likely that Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown has played his final down for the team.
Spike in overdoses prompts Hamilton County health alert
Officials report 12 suspected overdose deaths between Friday and Tuesday
After $2.3M purchase, Mount Nittany will expand dermatology services at new facility
The repurposed facility will help expand local access to long-sought specalized care.
Suspect uses hammer in West Loop, Near West Side business break-ins: police
Chicago Police are alerting the public to recent commercial burglaries in the West Loop and Near West Side, where one suspect used a hammer to break into businesses.
New NFIB Industry-Specific Survey Shows Shift in Small Business Optimism
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 27, 2026) – The NFIB Research Center released an industry-specific quarterly Small Business Economic Trends survey highlighting the construction, manufacturing, retail, and services industries. According to the report, the Optimism Index for all four reported industries fell fr
U.S. Supreme Court settles long-running water dispute over dwindling Rio Grande
In a brief order Tuesday, the court accepted the recommendation of a special master to move forward with agreements first proposed last year by New Mexico, Texas and Colorado.
How AWS SMGS uses an AI-powered conversational assistant to transform business management with Amazon Bedrock AgentCore
In this post, we share how we built NarrateAI using Amazon Bedrock AgentCore to deliver business intelligence at scale for the AWS SMGS (Sales, Marketing and Global Services) organization. You will learn about: the two-layer architecture that separates batch processing from real-time interaction, the specialized AI agents that power intelligent routing and validation, key engineering patterns for production deployment, and how to build similar solutions with AWS services.
Are We Still Taking The Wrong Supplements For Our Gut-Health?
Experts question modern gut health and supplement culture, as Professor Paul Clayton of LYMA warns many probiotics and wellness formulas may be fundamentally incomplete.
‘Never seen anything like it.’ Scientists discover brand new species of octopus.
Scientists discovered what they're calling the Microeledone galapagensis, a new octopus species with odd coloring and an even odder location.
Hochul signs state budget bills on car insurance reforms
The new laws aim to combat fraud and limit damages paid out to bad actors.
Hochul signs state budget bills on car insurance reforms
The new laws aim to combat fraud and limit damages paid out to bad actors.
Health Groups Launch ‘One Nation, Overcharged’ Campaign As Affordability Grips U.S.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is launching a campaign to ‘amplify the voices and experiences of people affected by high healthcare costs.”
Profit With Principle: How Ged Lawyers Scaled Up Its Business
While the US legal sector faces pressure on costs and technology transformation, a small Florida business is determined to scale into a national organization
Cardiology groups celebrate bill that could improve Medicare payments
Physicians from all specialties, not just cardiology, have been hoping for legislation like this for years.
Emma D'Arcy hypes up “Digger” with 'phenomenal' Tom Cruise: 'It's unparalleled' (exclusive)
"I knew while I was in the room that something incredibly special was happening," the "House of the Dragon" star says.
Paralives Q&A With Developers: Full Summary Of New Information
The indie team at Paralives hosted their very first Paralives Q&A, or more specifically a Reddit AMA thread. The team answered some hot burning questions
First Cases for Apple's Foldable iPhone Surface Online
Accessory maker iFunSmart has begun listing the first protective cases for Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone, corroborating rumors about the device's design. Case makers routinely begin mass producing accessories ahead of a new iPhone announcement, working from dummy units or leaked CAD files to size their molds. Their designs are speculative, but they have historically proven accurate to the millimeter, since accessory makers cannot afford to be left without product on launch day.
The Highest Metacritic-Scored Game Of 2026 Has Just Arrived
Mina the Hollower is here and has amassed the single highest Metacritic score of 2026 so far but a decent margin.
Google May Add Play Store Alerts For Removed Android Apps
Code discovered in a pre-release Play Store build suggests Google may add alerts for apps removed from the marketplace.
'Save our homes': Gov. DeSantis calls 'historic' Special Session that could lead to end of homestead property taxes
The proposal includes protections for local governments, but guardrails as well.
A ‘Destiny 2’ Vs. ‘Marathon’ Civil War Is Heating Up, Frustrating Many
Destiny 2 is being shut down while Marathon will live on at Bungie, and that has drastically split the community.
The Viruses Causing New Outbreaks Are Much Less Familiar to Science
The types of Ebola and hantavirus panicking officials are very different from the species identified decades ago, raising new questions about how to respond.
Dodgers prospect Kendall George may have sustained serious knee injury while avoiding team's bat dog
Kendall George came up limping after jumping out of the way to avoid a bat dog.
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World announced for Nintendo Switch 2, Switch
Square Enix is making Dragon Quest Monsters The Withered World for Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch, the company just announced. The title is “coming soon”. We actually don’t have any details on this one. Square Enix only showed a teaser during today’s 40th anniversary broadcast for the series, and didn’t go into specifics. That said, based on the logo, Bianca...
Biden sues DOJ to stop release of audio, transcripts from special counsel probe
Biden's lawyers argued that the disclosure would "constitute an unwarranted invasion of President Biden's privacy"
Biden sues DOJ to stop release of audio, transcripts from special counsel probe
Biden's lawyers argued that the disclosure would "constitute an unwarranted invasion of President Biden's privacy"
Frontline Workers ‘Risking Everything’ To Contain ‘Catastrophic’ Ebola Outbreak (Live Updates)
More than 220 people have died and there's no sign the spread is slowing.