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Spanberger AG draws fire over two-front fight against Trump enforcement agenda
Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones faces fire over a civil rights probe into Greene County Sheriff Steve Smith's ICE-involved traffic stop operations.
Emerald AI reaches unicorn status with $1.05B valuation
Emerald AI announced Tuesday it has raised $150 million in a Series A funding round, vaulting the company to unicorn status.
Apple Wallet Driver's License Feature Just Launched in 15th U.S. State
Starting today, Virginia residents can add a digital version of their driver's license to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch. The digital ID can be used to display proof of identity or age at TSA checkpoints in select airports, at select businesses, and in select apps, but the number of places where it is accepted is still quite limited.
HRS: Benefits of doing business in Portsmouth
Hampton Roads Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina News, Weather, Traffic and Sports.
WVU Health signs appear at Independence Health hospitals as systems work to finalize acquisition
Signs of West Virginia University Health System’s acquisition of Independence Health System, slated to be finalized in October, are popping up in Westmoreland County — literally. Workers from Blue Sky Sign Co. removed the “Independence Health System” letters posted in front of Westmoreland Hospital in Greensburg on Aug. 19, replacing
Claude Moore awards $2.7 million for health care scholars program
The Claude Moore Charitable Foundation has awarded $2.7 million in 2026 Claude Moore Scholars grants to 18 school divisions, higher education institutions, health care employers and workforce partners across Virginia,
Spanberger: Trump’s trade war with Canada threatens Virginia businesses
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger warned the Trump administration that the escalating trade fight with Canada is hurting Virginia businesses.
Virginia considers calls for mandatory school nurses as healthcare gaps persist
As schools reopen across Virginia, just under 10% will operate without a nurse, leaving critical gaps in student healthcare, advocates say.
East Hardy County Little League in West Virginia Receives $25,000 Sports Matter Grant from The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation
As part of its ongoing efforts to break down barriers and create more opportunity for children to play Little League, The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation’s Sports Matter Program has awarded East […]
Patients could see smaller incisions, shorter recoveries thanks to U.Va. Health robotic heart surgery program
U.Va. Health has launched Virginia’s first dedicated robotic heart surgery program as a less invasive alternative to traditional open-heart surgery.
WVU AI research could transform how scientists monitor ecosystems
With help from artificial intelligence, West Virginia University researchers are speeding up environmental scientists’ access to time-sensitive data about ecosystem health, allowing experts to respond rapidly to events like droughts or wildfires.
The High-Stakes Rematch That Could Decide the House
A contest in Virginia Beach is seen as a bellwether as Republicans face an uphill fight to keep their majority.
Virginia considers calls for mandatory school nurses as healthcare gaps persist
Legislators and experts are exploring updating the state’s Standards of Quality, the school funding baseline requirements for the state and local governments, to include mandatory full-time licensed nurse positions.
Chesapeake Regional may avoid criminal trial, but former OB-GYN Perwaiz's patients are still suing
By Yiqing Wang/WHRO Federal prosecutors said this week they have reached a tentative deferred prosecution agreement with Chesapeake Regional Medical Center for charges related to disgraced former OB-GYN Javaid Perwaiz. The deal would require the hospital to admit certain facts, accept an independent monitor, repay health care programs and create a $12.8 million fund for Perwaiz’s former […]
Three Vandalia Health hospitals earn SRC Network of Excellence designation in robotic surgery
Three Vandalia Health hospitals earned SRC’s Network of Excellence in Robotic Surgery designation, a first for West Virginia. The honor recognizes rigorous quality and safety standards, advanced technology and 14 distinguished surgeons.
Bipartisan Energy Politics | Reading and Podcast Picks
Reading and Podcast Picks is a collection of what we’ve been reading and listening to over the last week or so about energy topics. In addition to these R&P Picks, paid subscribers receive access to the full archives, Grid Roundups, and select episodes of the Energy Capital Podcast. Please subscribe today. Texans, legislators debate transmission lines at hearing | Texas Tribune “Republican legislators, Democratic statewide candidates, landowners from rural Texas and environmentalists” alike joined together Wednesday to protest the buildout of 765-kV lines across the state. At the protest and nine-hour hearing that followed, lawmakers heard a variety of recommendations, including from local officials arguing for more local control of data center proposals and more time to reform the process behind approving transmission lines across Texas. Though discussed in separate hearings, landowners and protesters said the issues are connected… Regulators have already been working through a new way to decide how much of the cost of building new transmission lines needs to be paid for by individuals and how much needs to be paid for by companies such as data centers. Experts said they believe the new system will lower the burden on residential consumers relative to the industrial groups. Data-Center Backlash Leads to New Land Rush in Texas Oil Patch | The Wall Street Journal While the data center protests rage, investors converge on the Permian Basin to build data centers powered by cheap natural gas. “A lot of places you see all over the country they’re worried about water, they’re worried about power, they’re worried about transmission, and the Permian has all of those things in spades,” said EagleRock Chief Executive Greg Pipkin Jr. Dallas-Fort Worth Dethrones Virginia as the World’s Top Data Center Market | Dallas Innovates Two reports show growth in North Texas data centers despite political concerns about the industry. Boasting five highly ranked data center markets, Texas is experiencing an explosion of data center activity. Long anchored by the DFW market, “the state is growing at a pace that could soon bring total installed capacity in line with — and potentially beyond — that of Virginia,” the Cushman & Wakefield report said. A new report from commercial real estate services provider JLL takes a slightly different view, anointing Texas the top data center market in North America. Texas eclipsed longtime frontrunner Virginia based on the level of existing and under-construction data center inventory in the state as measured by gigawatt capacity. A gigawatt equals 1 billion watts.
'Yellowstone' copyright lawsuit accuses Taylor Sheridan of stealing show's concept
A lawsuit filed in federal court on Friday accuses writer and director Taylor Sheridan of stealing the idea for his powerhouse success "Yellowstone" from Lauren J. Salkin, a Virginia-based journalist
'Yellowstone' copyright lawsuit accuses Taylor Sheridan of stealing show's concept
A lawsuit filed in federal court on Friday accuses writer and director Taylor Sheridan of stealing the idea for his powerhouse success "Yellowstone" from Lauren J. Salkin, a Virginia-based journalist
Va. health dept. improves nursing home inspection backlog, reforms sanction criteria for facilities
Stories of neglect in care or unsanitary living situations have plagued several of Virginia’s nursing home facilities in recent years.
Va. health dept. improves nursing home inspection backlog, reforms sanction criteria for facilities
Stories of neglect in care or unsanitary living situations have plagued several of Virginia’s nursing home facilities.
After tree falls on house, VB woman feels ‘gratitude’ for health, neighbors
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — At first glance, the Bally Lynn Shores section of Virginia Beach didn’t appear to get much storm damage. That is, until you see the back of Raven Lauren’s home. &…
Virginia business preps for recreational marijuana market launch in 2027
As Virginia prepares for the recreational marijuana market, which will launch on July 1, 2027, state agencies and marijuana retail businesses are preparing for the expected surge in demand.
Talking Business with Becky Bradley: Facts, fears and what you need to know about the data center debate
Data centers are the most controversial land use of this era, and for valid reasons. But they’re also necessary.
Iowa Writers’ Workshop professor explores forgotten history
Matthew Neill Null, an Iowa Writers' Workshop professor, has a new novel, “Floodgate,” which centers on the 1960s construction of West Virginia's Summersville Dam and explores themes of labor unions, resource extraction, and the lives of working-class people left behind by progress.
Va. health dept. improves nursing home inspection backlog, reforms sanction criteria for facilities
With reform efforts underway, the Virginia Department of Health officials said they aim to adopt sanction criteria by the end of the year to rein in bad actors and get troubled facilities back on track.
‘I’ve been the bearer of bad news’: Va. hemp businesses bin majority of product after ban
Small business owners are reeling after new hemp laws in Virginia made more than half their inventory illegal overnight.
Hometown Entertainment: Bee festival, live music events set for weekend
Southwest Virginia Bee Festival set for Elmwood Park with free admission, along with multiple live music events in our region
Meta glasses are a workplace menace
“Pervert” glasses are making jobs weird and putting workers on edge.
Why Manufacturers Are Paying Closer Attention to Building Envelopes
Site selection teams have to be meticulous. They model tax incentive schedules years into the future, track labor availability across competing markets, and negotiate access to highway interchanges and rail spurs.
River Valley Health Fund, CFOV award $139,000 in grants to local organizations
WTOV NBC 9 provides local news, weather forecasts, notices of events and items of interest in the community, sports and entertainment programming for Steubenville and nearby towns and communities in the Ohio Valley area including, in Ohio Steubenville, St. Clairsville, Wintersville, Cadiz, Bellaire, Toronto, Martins Ferry, Barnesville, Shadyside, Bridgeport, and Mingo Junction and in West Virginia Wheeling, Weirton, Moundsville, New Martinsville, and Wellsburg.
Virginia Tech football 2026 position preview: Offensive line
Previewing Virginia Tech’s offensive line.
Accused Virginia murderer flees US after 48-hour pass from mental health facility
Fox News correspondent David Spunt reports on an accused murderer who fled the United States after being granted a 48-hour pass from a Virginia mental health facility on ‘America Reports.’
Dickenson County Fair announces four days of family fun, music and entertainment Sept. 16-19
by ROD MULLINSmedia.rodmullins@gmail.com HAYSI, Va. — The Dickenson County Fair is set to return to the Haysi Fairgrounds Sept. 16-19, bringing four days of family entertainment, live music, rides, community activities and outstanding regional talent to Southwest Virginia. This year’s fair promises something for every age group, from gospel music and bluegrass to country music, children’s activities and a showcase of local talent. The fair kicks off Wednesday, Sept. 16, with Dickenson Sings Gospel, a special evening celebrating faith, fellowship and music. Several gospel groups from throughout the region will take the stage, providing an evening of inspirational music and community worship. […]
Mountaineer Athletics Plays Host to Sixth Annual Youth Sports Day
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Get Moving! WV and Raising Cane's are teaming up with West Virginia University Athletics as hosts of the sixth annual Youth Sports Day on...
Valley North transmission lines on Inside West Virginia Politics
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WOWK) – On this week’s episode of Inside West Virginia Politics, our guests join Rick Johnson to discuss Valley North, home programs, Wheeling events and TANF. In Segment 1, we t…
Accused murderer leaves U.S. from Virginia mental health facility
An accused murderer who was committed to a Virginia mental health facility left the country on a flight while out on a weekend pass, according to court documents.
“Wish You Were Here” Variety Show Combines Entertainment & Community Impact
Watch Virginia This Morning each weekday from 9 to 10 a.m. Find the show on Facebook and Instagram at @VirginiaThisMorning.
VADOC — VADOC Celebrates Employee Health & Wellness Week
Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) Director Joseph W. Walters has designated August 17-21, 2026 as Employee Health & Wellness (EHW) Week across the agency.
Globalinx to purchase Virginia Beach land for colocation data center
The Virginia Beach Development Authority on Tuesday agreed to sell 9 acres of land in Corporate Landing Business Park to Globalinx.
Saint Paul, Virginia, is a year-round playground
Southwest Virginia is considered by some to be the heart of Appalachia. The area is filled with natural beauty and really is an outdoor wonderland. When you visit, you have
Whisker’s AI-powered litter robot thinks my cats swapped bodies
$900 for an AI-powered litter box and I can’t even watch my cat poop?
Over 10,500 Central Virginia homes, businesses without power amid severe thunderstorms
Over 10,500 Central Virginia homes and businesses are without power Sunday evening amid severe storms.
Virginia health officials say Trump vaccine order does not change state requirements
West Virginia State Fair grandstand market features local vendors, health screenings
WVVA News Weekend
ChatGPT’s Computer History tracks your clicks and keystrokes
It’s like Windows Recall, but without all the creepy screenshots.
U.S. District Judge denies hemp business' plea for pause on new regulations
United States Western District of Virginia Judge Robert Ballou Friday ruled against a cohort of Virginia hemp businesses, denying their motions for a preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order to prevent new hemp restrictions from taking place.
For politicians from Ohio to Texas, Virginia to California, red to blue, data centers are the new ‘us vs. them’ fight
Get informed, Get Protected: Catch Up on HPV Vaccination
by Lucia Gutierrez, VDH Summer Intern Academy Becoming a young adult brings new routines and responsibilities, from managing school and work commitments to taking a more active role in your […]
Home-Field Advantage: Why the World’s Biggest Sporting Events Are Coming to the US
The United States is on a streak landing more international events than ever. What’s driving the good fortune for sports fans living in the country?
West Virginia math and English scores top pre-COVID levels as science slips
West Virginia’s 2026 student assessments show math and ELA proficiency above pre-COVID levels, with math rising to 39% and ELA holding at 48%. Science slipped to 29%, while chronic absenteeism remained strongly linked to lower scores.
Spanberger touts progress keeping insulin, prescriptions affordable during tour of Northern Va. health clinic
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger is touting the progress the state has made in capping insulin costs and keeping prescription drugs affordable.
‘That is not acceptable’: Judge orders Google to make rival app store installs easier
Judge Donato was not having Google’s “anticompetitive friction.”
Furniture business in Madison County has been crafting for 200 years
A 200 year-old furniture business in Madison County has been run by six generations of the same family, with recognizable work sitting along the Lawn at the University of Virginia.
Virginia hemp businesses file lawsuit over new restrictions taking effect Saturday
A major change is about to reshape Virginia’s hemp industry, with new restrictions set to take effect Saturday as several businesses try to stop the law.
Richmond science company to lay off 68 employees
Eurofins Professional Scientific Services South plans to lay off 68 Richmond employees Oct. 9, according to a state notice.
Virginia hemp businesses brace for stricter THC limits
Retailers say the new cap will make much of their inventory illegal and could force some to close.
Mental health experts share tips to ease students’ back-to-school anxiety
WTOV NBC 9 provides local news, weather forecasts, notices of events and items of interest in the community, sports and entertainment programming for Steubenville and nearby towns and communities in the Ohio Valley area including, in Ohio Steubenville, St. Clairsville, Wintersville, Cadiz, Bellaire, Toronto, Martins Ferry, Barnesville, Shadyside, Bridgeport, and Mingo Junction and in West Virginia Wheeling, Weirton, Moundsville, New Martinsville, and Wellsburg.
Virginia Hemp Businesses Challenge New THC Limits as Aug. 15 Deadline Nears
Seven Virginia Tech faculty elected to 2026 Virginia Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine
The new members represent the university's research breadth in wireless communications, cybersecurity, cancer biology, medical education, AI, drug delivery, and comparative oncology.
UVA Batten Launches New Master of Science in Public Policy and Data
The University of Virginia’s Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy has introduced a new graduate degree, the Master of Science in Public Policy and Data which will train policy professionals to lead data analysis, not just consume it.
Dem governor booed at Virginia Old Fiddlers' Convention
Video shows Virginia Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger greeted by loud boos at the Old Fiddlers' Convention in Galax amid sagging poll numbers.
HRS: "ICE - A Story of Love, Crime and Politics"
Hampton Roads Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina News, Weather, Traffic and Sports.
The AI takeover of mathematics has begun
OpenAI showed that AI can tackle long-standing problems in mathematics. Experts are excited about the possibilities — and worried about what comes next for their field.
A Badgers defensive lineman is ready for a fresh start
Hammond Russell IV came to Wisconsin after five seasons of loyalty to West Virginia, and after earning a degree.
Brenda Lucas: Community news for Tuesday, Aug. 11
Click for community news in the Huntington, West Virginia, and Tri-State area.
Cardinal Commerce Notes: Lynchburg-based BWXT to sell medical business
Plus: Virtual hiring fair upcoming, new nuclear simulator report, Lynchburg’s airport gets a $5.3 million grant and USDA designates Virginia localities as drought disaster areas.
Small business owners, advocates sound the alarm on new Virginia hemp law
Small business owners and advocates are sounding the alarm on new hemp laws that will make many products that are currently legal, illegal to be produced or sold as hemp in Virginia.
Over 41,000 Central Virginia homes, businesses without power amid severe storms
Over 41,000 Central Virginia homes and businesses are without power Monday evening as severe thunderstorms batter the region.
Ben Jones, 'Dukes of Hazzard' actor and 2-term U.S. House member, dies at 84
Jones had a heart attack in his home Sunday in Washington, Virginia, his wife said
State finalizing agreements for about $39 million in Rural Health Transformation funding, Singh says
The West Virginia Department of Health is finalizing agreements to award approximately $39 million in federal funding.
ICYMI: Bernhard Capital Partners to acquire Virginia engineering firm
Baton Rouge-based private equity firm Bernhard Capital Partners has agreed to acquire Reston, Virginia, engineering and infrastructure services firm Bowman Consulting Group Ltd. in an all-cash transac… Already an INSIDER? Sign in. Already an INSIDER? Sign in
Q&A: Could better gut health help fight breast cancer?
UVA researchers discovered how an unhealthy gut may help breast cancer spread – and how an existing drug could potentially stop it.
Bernhard Capital Partners strikes $1B deal to acquire Virginia engineering firm
Baton Rouge-based private equity firm Bernhard Capital Partners has agreed to acquire Reston, Virginia, engineering and infrastructure services firm Bowman Consulting Group Ltd. in an all-cash transac… Already an INSIDER? Sign in. Already an INSIDER? Sign in
HRS: Epic Discount for tech and entertainment
Hampton Roads Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina News, Weather, Traffic and Sports.
HRS: "ICE - A Story of Love, Crime and Politics"
Hampton Roads Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina News, Weather, Traffic and Sports.
Accendra Health CEO to retire by end of the year
Accendra Health announced Monday that President and CEO Edward A. Pesicka plans to retire by the end of the year.
Accendra Health CEO to retire by end of the year
Accendra Health announced Monday that President and CEO Edward A. Pesicka plans to retire by the end of the year.
Hemp businesses ask federal judge to block Virginia’s new THC cap
Seven Virginia hemp businesses are asking a federal judge to block new restrictions on consumable hemp products, arguing the changes will wipe out much of their inventory, trigger layoffs and force some companies to close when they take effect on Aug. 15.
Inside Business Top Workplaces: The Sports Facilities Cos.
Virginia Beach Sports Center General Manager Ryan Ladd shared workplace insight for The Sports Facilities Cos.
NY Giants news: West Virginia helped Giants, more headlines
New York Giants headlines for Monday.
Hemp businesses ask federal judge to block Virginia’s new THC cap
Seven Virginia hemp businesses are asking a federal judge to block new restrictions on consumable hemp products, arguing the changes will wipe out much of their inventory, trigger layoffs and force some companies to close when they take effect on Aug. 15. The lawsuit, filed July 31 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia, challenges a new provision in the state budget that will eliminate an exception for products containing more than 2 milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) per package when they also contain at least 25 times as much cannabidiol (CBD).
Businesses evacuated during gas leak in Virginia Beach
Hampton Roads Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina News, Weather, Traffic and Sports.
Grants Boost New Waynesboro Businesses
Heading into Waynesboro on Route 250 past the Rockfish Gap entrance of Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Tunnel’s western portal, signs of an entrepreneurial wave are easy to spot. The Virginia Metalcrafters Marketplace, a cavernous industrial space where metalworkers forged iron and brass products for more than a century before sitting vacant for
Stateline Sports Reporters Podcast: ETSU, Tennessee, Virginia Tech Football Preview
WCYB NBC 5 Bristol and WEMT Fox 39 Greeneville offer local and national news reporting, sports, and weather forecasts to viewers in the Tennessee, Virginia Tri-Cities area including Bristol, Kingsport and Johnson City.
3 Takeaways From the Giants' Final Practice in West Virginia
The legendary John Denver song "Country Roads" speaks glowingly about West Virginia, but the New York Giants are surely ready for someone to take them home to the northeast. The Giants closed their 11-day residency at The Greenbrier with one final practice Saturday. Here are three impressions of how things went in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.
West Virginia politician says a ‘gold rush’ is coming for mining
State Sen. Chris Rose, R-W.Va., discusses the Trump administration’s investment in critical minerals on ‘Fox Report.’
NY Giants training camp, practice No. 10: Discussion, news, updates
The Giants are in pads for their final practice in West Virginia
West Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame welcomes Huntington native
A Huntington native was recently inducted into the West Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame for his personal and professional accomplishments over the last 50 years.
Brenda Lucas: Community news for Saturday, Aug. 8
Click for community news in the Huntington, West Virginia, and Tri-State area.
John Beilein, Bia Holmes headline 2026 WVU Sports Hall of Fame class
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Seven outstanding contributors to Mountaineer Athletics make up the 36th class of honorees in the West Virginia University Sports Hall of Fame, announced today by Vice President…
Data center politics shape Virginia scrutiny of NextEra-Dominion deal
Gov. Abigail Spanberger isn't opposing the tie-up yet but says she is "deeply skeptical" that consumers and public policy priorities are protected through the proposed utility merger.
Virginia businesses sue to block new THC regulations set to take effect this month
Starting on Aug. 16, hemp products in Virginia cannot exceed more than 2 milligrams of THC per package. Supporters say it's a safety issues, but some local businesses the new regulations could force them to take massive amounts of products off the shelves.
OpenAI is giving ChatGPT free users unlimited text chats
Free users are also getting a new default AI model.
The messy politics behind Google’s big AI shakeup
Google’s AI leadership changes may have come down to pressure to speed up products — and internal ethical conflicts.
WVU Health System, Fulton County Medical Center sign definitive agreement
MORGANTOWN, W.Va., and MCCONNELLSBURG, PA. – The West Virginia University Health System, which operates under the brand WVU Medicine, and Fulton County Medical Center (FCMC) have signed a definitive affiliation agreement that will lead to FCMC joining the WVU Health System. ...
Science|Business summer reads of 2026
As most people in the European research and innovation policy bubble are going on a well-deserved summer break, we have come up with a list of our favourite books, podcasts and essays from the past year that ask deeper questions about science, technology and politics.BooksPasteur’s Quadrant: Basic Science and Technological Innovation, by Donald StokesIf you haven’t read Pasteur’s Quadrant yet, now is the time. In the EU and elsewhere, we’re living through a period of dwindling faith that curiosity-driven research automatically leads to economic growth and technological progress. Pasteur’s Quadrant, published in 1997 by the Princeton academic Donald Stokes, is the most influential critique of the standard “linear model” of R&D: the idea that new discoveries made in ivory-tower labs get neatly passed on for commercialisation by start-ups. In reality, Stokes argues, practical applications often inspire more theorical lines of inquiry. Of course, we have long known that things are more complex than the linear model, but even today, it’s still often assumed in Brussels discourse. The book is a useful corrective, and is being used now to argue for new types of scientific institutions. David MatthewsThe Weaponization of Expertise: How Elites Fuel Populism, by Jacob Hale Russel and Dennis PattersonAre society’s problems solvable by technical expertise alone? “If only the benighted would listen,” say Jacob Hale Russel and Dennis Patterson, two professors at Rutgers Law School who got frustrated with how scientists and politicians handled public health communication during the Covid-19 pandemic. In the book, they argue that clichéd mantras about scientific evidence and expertise perpetrated by academics, journalists and politicians have harmed public trust in the very institutions they were trying to defend. Paradoxically, slogans such as “we believe in science,” “follow the science” and “defer to the experts” can fuel mistrust in science, experts and democratic institutions. The authors criticise “condescension” and “technocratic paternalism” in the public discourse and make the case for a more nuanced approach to scientific and expert policy advice that rests on humility, doubt, scepticism and open dialogue. “Most complex social questions in fact revolve around values, not the recitation of unambiguous facts,” they say. Florin ZubascuBreakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future, by Dan WangIn this book, Dan Wang compares the structural differences between the US and Chinese industrial policies, but raises a very timely question for innovation policy wonks: how can advanced manufacturing know-how contribute to technology-intensive economic growth? Wang says technology has three components: the tools, the blueprints and patents, and the process knowledge. The third component represents the “proficiency gained from practical experience, which isn’t easily communicated and requires years of implementation.” According to Wang, rather than seeing tools and blueprints as the ultimate ends of technological progress, policymakers should see them as milestones in the training of better scientists and manufacturers. Over the past decades, China has amassed “process knowledge” because capital flowed to complex fabrication facilities, while investors in the West have parked their money in capital-light businesses such as digital platforms or chip companies that focus on design. As it turns out, thanks to its oversized focus on manufacturing, China has gained remarkable advantages in the global technology race. Florin ZubascuBaltic: The Future of Europe, by Oliver MoodyWhat can Europe learn from the nine countries surrounding the Baltic Sea? Alongside the familiar stories about Estonia's digital transformation, the book examines how the region has used technology, resilience, education, governance and long-term thinking to respond to geopolitical, economic and security challenges. Innovation policy wonks might find fresh perspectives on how innovation can strengthen defence, societal resilience and Europe's capacity to adapt in an uncertain world. Whether or not you agree with all of Oliver Moody's conclusions, the book is a useful guide to a region that is increasingly shaping European debates on security, competitiveness and technology. Goda NaujokaityteThe Invention of Nature, by Andrea Wulf This book chronicles the wild and adventurous life of natural science pioneer Alexander von Humboldt who at some point in the 19th century seems to have been just about the most famous person in the world. Through scientific expeditions to the Andes Mountains and to the depths of Siberia, von Humboldt contributed a host of discoveries and concepts. During his life he met and formed relationships with historical figures as different as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Simon Bolivar, Thomas Jefferson, Napoleon Bonaparte and Charles Darwin. He is also claimed to be the person in the world with most things named after him, a list that includes an ocean current, a penguin and a region of the Moon. Still venerated in Germany, with numerous scientific institutions named after him, von Humboldt has slipped out of public consciousness in most of the rest of the world. For anyone not familiar with him, this book does a good job of describing his fascinating life. Ole EllekrogCareless People, by Sarah Wynn-WilliamsYou may have heard this referred to as the book Meta doesn’t want you to read. The 2025 memoir from Sarah Wynn-Williams, former director of global public policy at Meta, then just called Facebook, includes explosive claims about everything from a toxic workplace culture to how the company worked with advertisers to target vulnerable teens, and the lengths it was prepared to go to in order to break into China. It’s a fascinating insight into how and why the tech company gradually shifted its approach to policy, whether in the US, Europe or Asia. Meta has denied the allegations in the book, and last year won an emergency ruling to prevent Wynn-Williams from promoting it. In response, the author is now suing her former employer. If that doesn’t make you want to read it. Martin GreenacrePodcastsThe Europeans: Europe’s anti-ElonThis podcast is a great choice for a light-hearted dose of European policy and culture news. Most of it has little to do with research, innovation and technology, but this particular podcast features an interview with Mastadon’s founder Eugen Rochko. He talks about his experience running an open-source, federated, European-made social media platform, and leaving it all behind. The conversation, which starts 14 minutes in, gently encourages us to reflect on what kind of technology we, as Europeans, want to make. Goda NaujokaityteSolarpunk and how we escape dystopiaNew technologies are very often taken from science fiction. Alberto Santos-Dumont, inventor the airship, was inspired as a child by the adventure stories of Jules Verne. OpenAI’s attempt to build a personal assistant with the voice of Scarlett Johansson was lifted from the 2013 film Her, completely ignoring the movie’s cautionary message. So if we want better tech, we need to imagine it first. Unfortunately, the state of current sci-fi is relentlessly dystopian, giving inventors precious few ideas or hope. However, a new genre, Solarpunk, which envisages a technologically advanced but ecologically harmonious future, is now taking off. The actual tech the genre imagines, such as permaculture, renewable energy or community repair workshops, while nice, isn’t all that inspiring or ambitious. But it’s a first step towards rescuing sci-fi from its pessimistic Blade Runner rut. David MatthewsEveryday AbundanceLaunched in June, Everyday Abundance is a podcast that tells the stories of the inventions we now take so for granted that we barely given them a second thought. For example, the washing machine, which liberated women from a lifetime “bent over washtubs and washboards.” Or modern dentistry, which ended the reality that “tooth pain was simply part of human life.” Historians of technology, Virginia Postrel and Charles C Mann are very much on the optimistic end of the spectrum when it comes to the capacity of invention to improve human life. Here, they set out their case: if it wasn’t for progress, you might be hunched over a washtub with toothache rather than reading these words. David Matthews‘We will not know what we lost’: Conservation fallout a year after USAID shutdownSince his return to the White House, Donald Trump has been on a mission to undermine science. He slashed jobs at federal agencies, terminated grants in some research areas, took unprecedented control over university affairs and, within hours of his inauguration, suspended the US Agency for International Development. While its initial focus was to administer health and food aid around the world, it had since expanded to conservation projects. The result? Some of these projects were stopped abruptly. In this Mongabay podcast, environmental reporter Michelle Nijhuis tells the story of the EcoGuard conservation programme in Liberia, whose local patrols had helped protect rainforests, monitor endangered wildlife and track illegal threats. From one day to the next, these were left without salaries. Luckily, she notes, the initiative was able to get emergency funding from international NGOs, but its future remains “incredibly uncertain.” Juliette PortalaEssaysThe Mars Delusion, by Henry WismayerWhy is humankind so fixated on establishing a colony on Mars? asks London-based writer Henry Wismayer. From space evangelists promoting Martian settlement as an insurance policy, to billionaire Jeff Bezos, who said humans should settle on Mars “because it’s cool,” the mission is not running short of advocates. However, in this essay, Wismayer reminds us that some critics expect any future Mars pioneer to end up “irradiated, sick, mad and dead.” Scientists have already looked into the possible effects of prolonged exposure to Martian gravity, and it’s not pretty: muscle shrinking, bones weakening, changes to the central nervous system and other biological modifications to make us all reconsider the journey. “Some researchers have forecast that the future settler, after generations of evolutionary conditioning, will look less like an Übermensch and more like ET,” Wismayer writes. Juliette Portala