News
The Ivies can weather the Trump administration’s research cuts – it’s the nation’s public universities that have the most to lose
The Ivies can weather the Trump administration’s research cuts – it’s the nation’s public universities that have the most to lose The author argues that while Ivy League universities may face challenges from federal research funding cuts, public universities have more to lose due to their reliance on federal funds. The Trump administration’s cuts are […]
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Tariffs 101: What they are, who pays them, and why they matter now
Tariffs 101: What they are, who pays them, and why they matter now Tariffs are taxes on imports of goods, usually to protect domestic industries from import competition, and are imposed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The burden of tariffs often falls on consumers, who may see prices increase as companies pass on the […]
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Sharks and rays get a major win with new international trade limits for 70+ species
Sharks and rays get a major win with new international trade limits for 70+ species Over 100 million sharks and rays are killed each year for food, liver oil, and other trade, leading to a 70% decline in global populations since the 1970s. The Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) has agreed to […]
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Parents call for New York governor to sign landmark AI safety bill
Parents call for New York governor to sign landmark AI safety bill A group of over 150 parents has sent a letter to New York governor Kathy Hochul urging her to sign the Responsible AI Safety and Education (RAISE) Act without changes. The RAISE Act, which passed in June, requires large AI model developers like […]
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Pacific Moisture Drenches the U.S. Northwest
Pacific Moisture Drenches the U.S. Northwest Pacific Northwest region experienced heavy rainfall in early December 2025, resulting in landslides and flooding due to a potent atmospheric river. The atmospheric river originated from near the Philippines, approximately 7,000 miles away, and brought moisture that was not typical for the region, highlighting the unpredictability of weather patterns. […]
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Outside the West, the Kundalini tradition presents a model of the ‘divine feminine’ beyond binary gender
Outside the West, the Kundalini tradition presents a model of the ‘divine feminine’ beyond binary gender The Kundalini tradition presents a model of the divine feminine beyond binary gender, offering an escape from oppressive gender norms. In this tradition, Shakti is a divine feminine energy that manifests in the human body as the electrifying force […]
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Netflix-Warner deal would drive streaming market further down the road of ‘Big 3’ domination
Netflix-Warner deal would drive streaming market further down the road of ‘Big 3’ domination The streaming market is expected to become dominated by three major players: Netflix, Amazon, and Disney, following Netflix’s planned acquisition of Warner Bros. for $72 billion. The “Big Three” model has historically applied to various industries, including auto manufacturing, defense, cellphone […]
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NASA Works with Boeing, Other Collaborators Toward More Efficient Global Flights
NASA Works with Boeing, Other Collaborators Toward More Efficient Global Flights NASA has partnered with Boeing to develop an advanced system for sharing trajectory data between aircraft and support systems, aiming to improve information flow and reduce delays. The partnership involves testing a data communication system on a United Airlines 737-8, which flew over 2 […]
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NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim to Discuss Eight-Month Space Station Mission
NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim to Discuss Eight-Month Space Station Mission NASA astronaut Jonny Kim will hold a news conference on December 19 to discuss his recent eight-month mission aboard the International Space Station. Kim, along with Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky, completed 3,920 orbits of the Earth during their nearly 104-million-mile journey. During […]
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Merry Jewish Christmas: How Chinese food and the movies became a time-honored tradition for American Jews
Merry Jewish Christmas: How Chinese food and the movies became a time-honored tradition for American Jews Chinese food has become a staple of many Jewish American traditions on Christmas Day, with some restaurants even offering kosher-style dishes to cater to observant Jews. Jewish Christmas traditions are not necessarily a sign of Americanization, but rather a […]
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How keeping down borrowing costs for mortgages and other loans is built into the Fed’s ‘dual mandate’
How keeping down borrowing costs for mortgages and other loans is built into the Fed’s ‘dual mandate’ The Federal Reserve’s dual mandate includes promoting maximum employment and stable prices, but it also has a third objective: moderate long-term interest rates. The third mandate was originally part of the Fed’s goals in the 1977 Federal Reserve […]
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How crime in Brazil drags down the economy and heaps economic pain on the nation’s poor
How crime in Brazil drags down the economy and heaps economic pain on the nation’s poor Brazil’s “criminal economy” is estimated to cost around $239 billion to $275 billion annually, or 12% to 14% of Brazil’s GDP, with a significant portion attributed to contraband, tax evasion, and environmental crime. The true cost of violence in […]
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Here are the shipping deadlines to get your holiday gifts on time
Here are the shipping deadlines to get your holiday gifts on time Shipping deadlines for UPS: December 19th (3 Day Select), December 22nd (2nd Day Air), and December 23rd (Next Day Air) to ensure packages arrive by Christmas Eve. FedEx shipping deadlines: December 20th (Express Saver), December 22nd (2Day and 2Day AM), and December 24th […]
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Hanukkah celebrates both an ancient military victory and a miracle of light – modern Jews can pick from either tradition
Hanukkah celebrates both an ancient military victory and a miracle of light – modern Jews can pick from either tradition Hanukkah celebrates both an ancient military victory and a miracle of light, allowing modern Jews to choose which tradition they want to focus on. The main ritual of Hanukkah is the lighting of the menorah, […]
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From FIFA to the LA Clippers, carbon offset scandals are exposing the gap between sports teams’ green promises and reality
From FIFA to the LA Clippers, carbon offset scandals are exposing the gap between sports teams’ green promises and reality The sports industry’s green promises are being exposed as unrealistic, with many teams and leagues facing criticism for their carbon offsetting practices. Carbon offsets in sports are often purchased by teams and leagues to offset […]
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Even with Trump’s support, coal power remains expensive – and dangerous
Even with Trump’s support, coal power remains expensive – and dangerous President Donald Trump’s administration has aligned itself with the coal industry, including efforts to keep coal-fired power plants running despite declining demand and environmental concerns. The use of coal for electricity generation remains expensive and poses health risks, with thousands of miners developing black […]
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Data centers need electricity fast, but utilities need years to build power plants – who should pay?
Data centers need electricity fast, but utilities need years to build power plants – who should pay? As data centers continue to grow in number and electricity demand, utilities face challenges in determining who should pay for the costs associated with generating and serving these large load centers. The uncertainty surrounding data center electricity demand […]
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Climate change is to blame for disappearing rains in the southwest
Climate change is to blame for disappearing rains in the southwest Climate change is the primary cause of the drought in the southwest US, particularly in the Colorado River Basin, which has been experiencing historic low precipitation levels since 1999. The warming trend and reduced winter snowfall are major contributors to the drought, with long-term […]
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Black-market oil buyers will push Venezuela for bigger discounts following US seizure – starving Maduro of much-needed revenue
Black-market oil buyers will push Venezuela for bigger discounts following US seizure – starving Maduro of much-needed revenue The US has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, which is expected to further squeeze the country’s economy and starve President Nicolás Maduro of much-needed revenue. The tanker, called the Skipper, was heading to […]
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2026’s abortion battles will be fought more in courthouses and FDA offices than at the voting booth
2026’s abortion battles will be fought more in courthouses and FDA offices than at the voting booth The biggest battles over abortion in 2026 will not be at the polls, but rather in courthouses and FDA offices. Anti-abortion forces are pushing to restrict access to medication abortions, which have become increasingly common in states with […]
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Data centers in Oregon might be helping to drive an increase in cancer and miscarriages
Data centers in Oregon might be helping to drive an increase in cancer and miscarriages Amazon’s data centers in Morrow County, Oregon are contaminating the local drinking water with high levels of nitrates, exceeding state and federal limits. The contamination is caused by Amazon’s large-scale water usage, which pulls tens of millions of gallons from […]
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You need to read the treatise on spacing out, Bored and Brilliant
You need to read the treatise on spacing out, Bored and Brilliant Author shares their personal struggle with spacing out, which they’ve been called a “daydreamer” or “space cadet” in the past. The book “Bored and Brilliant” by Manoush Zomorodi makes the case that letting your mind wander is essential and a luxury we shouldn’t […]
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Social media could help speed up humanitarian responses in crises
Social media could help speed up humanitarian responses in crises A new study found that analyzing social media posts can help predict when people will move during crises, supporting faster and more effective aid delivery. The study analyzed almost 2 million social media posts in three languages on X (formerly Twitter) to identify patterns that […]
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How you view uncertainty may shape how you vote
How you view uncertainty may shape how you vote A new study from ETH Zurich found that people who view uncertainty as an opportunity are less likely to vote for right-wing populist parties. The researchers conducted an experiment where participants watched a presentation highlighting the positive effects of uncertainty, and found that it increased positivity […]
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NASA Astronaut Chris Williams, Crewmates Arrive at Space Station
NASA Astronaut Chris Williams, Crewmates Arrive at Space Station NASA astronaut Chris Williams, along with Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev, safely arrived at the International Space Station on November 27, 2025, expanding the crew to 10 for the next two weeks. The trio launched aboard the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome […]
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What makes a true Santa is inside – and comes with the red suit
What makes a true Santa is inside – and comes with the red suit A study on professional Santas found that not everyone who wears the red suit fits the traditional image of Santa Claus. The researchers identified three types of professional Santas: prototypical (64%), semi-prototypical (23%), and nonprototypical (13%), with the latter group being […]
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Treating love for work like a virtue can backfire on employees and teams
Treating love for work like a virtue can backfire on employees and teams Treating love for work as a virtue can backfire on employees and teams by creating unrealistic expectations and moral pressure, leading to burnout and tension within teams. Moralizing intrinsic motivation, where loving one’s job is seen as virtuous, can lead to judgment […]
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Pentagon contractors want to blow up military right to repair
Pentagon contractors want to blow up military right to repair Pentagon contractors are trying to block a right-to-repair provision in the annual defense policy bill, which would give the military access to repair information and potentially require contractors to pay for it. The proposed “data-as-a-service” model, supported by trade groups like the National Defense Industrial […]
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OpenAI denies liability in teen suicide lawsuit, cites ‘misuse’ of ChatGPT
OpenAI denies liability in teen suicide lawsuit, cites ‘misuse’ of ChatGPT OpenAI has denied liability in a lawsuit filed by the family of a 16-year-old boy who took his own life after using ChatGPT for months. The company claims that the boy’s death was caused by his “misuse, unauthorized use, unintended use, unforeseeable use, and/or […]
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LSAH Newsletter
LSAH Newsletter The Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health (LSAH) program aims to maintain astronaut health and safety by collecting and analyzing medical, physiological, hazard exposure, and environmental data. The LSAH Newsletter informs former astronauts on how their medical data is being utilized by the LSAH team, published bi-annually since October 2025. The program allows NASA […]
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