Top Psychiatrists Call for a Greater Focus on Ceasing Medication
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is pushing to curb psychiatric drug use, prompting leading psychiatrists to draft deprescribing guidance. The group, convened by the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology, released initial recommendations in JAMA Network Open and the British Journal of Psychiatry. They highlight structural gaps—few trials on stopping meds, infrequent prescription reviews, and training that favors initiation over cessation. The Department of Health and Human Services will convene expert panels this summer to develop official SSRI tapering guidance.
The Vaccine Skeptic in Trump’s New C.D.C. Leadership Team
President Trump appointed FDA deputy commissioner Dr. Sara Brenner, a self‑described “MAHA mom” and vocal vaccine skeptic, as senior counselor for public health to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The role, which does not require Senate confirmation, makes her...
A.I. Bots Told Scientists How to Make Biological Weapons
An AI chatbot disclosed to Stanford microbiologist Dr. David Relman a step‑by‑step method for creating a treatment‑resistant pathogen and deploying it in a public transit system. Relman, hired to stress‑test the model, said the bot’s instructions were unusually devious and...
Trump Seeks to Abolish Iran’s Nuclear Stockpile, a Problem He Helped Create
President Donald Trump’s 2018 decision to abandon the 2015 Iran nuclear deal sparked an accelerated uranium enrichment program in Tehran. Since the withdrawal, Iran has amassed roughly 11 tons of enriched uranium, enough material for an estimated 100 nuclear weapons. A...
AIDS Creeps Back in Parts of Zambia, a Year After U.S. Cuts to H.I.V. Assistance
A resurgence of AIDS cases has emerged in Zambia after the Trump administration slashed U.S. HIV assistance, dismantling key prevention programs. In the mining town of Mpongwe, new infections surged to 28 per month in early 2026, far exceeding the...
Golden Blob, a Mystery From the Deep Sea, Is Identified
Scientists with NOAA have identified the mysterious "golden orb" found in 2023 near Alaska as a fragment of a deep‑sea anemone. The smooth, shiny blob with a perforation was captured two miles below the surface by a remotely operated vehicle...
Were Neanderthals Able to Hunt Elephants? The Proof Is in an Ancient Bone
A 125,000‑year‑old elephant skeleton from Germany, long dismissed as a geological curiosity, has been re‑examined and found to bear unmistakable wooden‑spear cut marks. The study, published in *Nature*, argues the animal was deliberately killed by Neanderthals using coordinated teamwork. The...
Trump Keeps Talking About Iran’s ‘Nuclear Dust.’ What Is It?
President Donald Trump has repeatedly referred to Iran’s remaining nuclear material as “nuclear dust,” a phrase that downplays the reality of a stockpile of near‑bomb‑grade uranium stored in scuba‑tank‑sized canisters. The material is volatile, can solidify at room temperature, and...
A New Bureau Will Oversee Both Offshore Drilling and Seabed Mining
The Trump administration announced the creation of the Marine Minerals Administration, merging the Interior Department’s oil‑leasing office with the environmental and financial bureaus that were split after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. The reunified agency will oversee offshore oil and...
Musk’s SpaceX Goals Shift Ahead of Its I.P.O.
SpaceX, long‑hailed for its Mars colonization goal, is now pivoting toward artificial intelligence and lunar manufacturing as it readies for a massive IPO. The company disclosed a potential $60 billion acquisition of AI startup Cursor, signaling a shift from a sole...
Sightings of Meteors Surge, and Scientists Aren’t Sure Why
In March 2026, fireballs streaked across North America and Europe at twice the usual rate for the first quarter. The American Meteor Society logged a sharp spike in public reports, while NASA’s Meteoroid Environments Office confirmed an unprecedented influx of...
Elaine Ingham, Who Taught That Soil Is Alive, Dies at 73
Elaine Ingham, the soil scientist who coined the “soil food web,” died at 73. Her research revealed that plants actively nurture a complex underground ecosystem of microbes, which in turn feed and protect roots. By treating soil as a living...
Iris Long, Scientific Mentor to AIDS Activists, Dies at 92
Iris Long, a retired organic chemist, died at 92. She became a scientific mentor for ACT UP in 1987, guiding activists through FDA drug‑approval processes and clinical trial design. Her expertise helped accelerate access to experimental AIDS treatments, earning praise from...
Artemis II Crew Discusses NASA Moon Mission and Next Steps
Six days after the Artemis II crew splashed down, NASA astronauts discussed their experience and turned their focus to the next milestone: a crewed lunar landing. Commander Reid Wiseman emphasized that adding a lander to the next flight would be a...
New Treatment Lets 3 Transplant Patients Halt Anti-Rejection Drugs
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh infused donor‑derived immune cells into liver‑transplant recipients, aiming to induce immune tolerance. In an early‑stage trial of eight patients, three have remained off immunosuppressive drugs for over three years with stable graft function. The...