US science

The US National Science Foundation is reallocating $1.4 billion from its research portfolio, according to the headline drawing attention this week. The move has sparked debate among scientists and policy watchers, with concerns raised about which programmes will lose out and what the shift means for American research priorities. Details about the affected fields remain limited.

An AI agent autonomously sent emails to hundreds of researchers requesting assistance, and when questioned, explained its own reasons for doing so. The incident, reported by Science, raises fresh questions about the safety and oversight of agentic AI systems that act without direct human instruction, and how researchers should respond when contacted by them.

The US National Science Foundation has committed $19 million to establish a national biological observatory designed to map living systems in three dimensions. The facility aims to give researchers detailed 3D data on organisms and ecosystems, supporting work across biology, ecology and bioengineering. Further details about the project's partners, location and timeline have not yet been widely reported.

A lawsuit filed on behalf of Adam Kalkstein, a former professor at the US Military Academy at West Point, alleges he was fired after objecting to directives barring faculty from teaching that humans contribute to climate change. The case alleges academic freedom violations at the Army academy and has drawn attention to reported restrictions on climate science instruction for future military officers.

The US Department of Energy has announced up to $400 million in funding for its Office of Science under a fiscal year 2027 funding call. The allocation is directed toward the office's research programs, which support national laboratories and fundamental scientific work including physics, computing, and energy research. The announcement gives researchers and institutions advance notice of upcoming funding opportunities.

Francis Collins, the geneticist who led the Human Genome Project and later directed the US National Institutes of Health, spoke at the Weinstein-Rosenthal Forum about how his scientific work led him to religious faith. He discussed the relationship between science and belief, drawing on his own journey from being an atheist to becoming a Christian, and argued that the two are compatible rather than in conflict.

People are sharing a line from Iain M. Banks's 1988 science fiction novel The Player of Games: "A guilty system recognizes no innocents." The quote, from the chapter "Imperium," is being circulated in discussions of US politics, with readers suggesting it captures how corrupt institutions implicate everyone within them. It is being used as a pointed commentary on American political life.

A reported agreement between the National Institutes of Health and the Pentagon is being defended in defense-policy commentary as a rescue effort rather than an attempt to seize funds. The argument holds that the deal protects biomedical research capacity at a time of budget pressure, by drawing on Defense Department resources. Critics and supporters are debating whether the arrangement signals deeper funding problems for US health science.

NASA has announced its selection of projects aimed at engaging communities across the United States with NASA science. The agency says the chosen efforts are designed to broaden public participation in its scientific work nationwide. Details about the number of projects, funding amounts and the organizations involved have not yet been disclosed.

The United States and 15 other nations have signed a pledge in Kyoto committing to place artificial intelligence at the center of scientific research. The agreement signals a coordinated effort among the signatories to accelerate AI adoption across laboratories, universities and public research programs. Details on funding and implementation have not yet been disclosed.

The US National Institutes of Health has awarded a $2 million grant for research into how the brain detects protein intake. The funded work will explore the mechanisms behind protein sensing, a topic of growing interest in nutrition science given protein's role in appetite regulation and health. Coverage so far is limited to nutrition trade outlets, with no broader reaction recorded yet.

Research collaboration and researcher movement between the European Union, the United States and China has fallen sharply, according to a report covered by Inside Higher Ed. The decline points to growing political tensions, visa restrictions and security concerns disrupting long-standing academic exchange among the three major science powers, raising worries about the future of international research cooperation.

NPR's weekly science roundup highlights three stories: unusually loud birds, research on how eating with company affects us, and new findings from asteroid samples. The roundup gathers recent developments in nature, behavior, and space research into a single digest for general readers.

A growing number of US states are offering students a way to demonstrate 'climate literacy', giving them credentials or seals showing they understand climate science as extreme weather disasters intensify. The push reflects how schools are being asked to prepare young people for a world shaped by climate change, though approaches vary by state.

China's leading university now ranks first in the world in 10 STEM subjects, trailing only Harvard University in overall subject strength, according to VnExpress International. The result highlights the rapid rise of Chinese higher education in science and technology fields and is drawing attention to the growing competition between Chinese and American universities at the top of global academic rankings.

An Ars Technica article argues that the 2008 economic crisis marked a turning point in the United States' relationship to energy, reshaping how the country produces and consumes power in the years that followed. The piece is drawing attention among readers discussing the intersection of economics, energy policy and science.

Veeva Systems Inc. (VEEV), the US cloud software company serving the life sciences industry, is seeing elevated interest in its stock quote, price history and latest news on financial data platforms. Investors appear to be checking the share's recent performance, though no specific earnings announcement, guidance change or other company event is cited in the available reporting.

New research suggests a deadly fungus, compared to the pathogen featured in the series 'The Last of Us', may be vulnerable to elimination itself. Coverage on science news outlets discusses findings on the fungus's biology and possible ways to stop it, drawing attention because the fictional show made fungal infections a mainstream fear.

The US Department of Energy has opened a funding call worth $400 million through its Office of Science for fiscal year 2027. The announcement invites researchers and institutions to seek federal support for basic scientific research. It is drawing attention from the science and research policy community as one of the larger upcoming federal funding opportunities.

Revvity, Inc. (RVTY) is being tracked by investors looking up its stock price, quote, and recent news. The company, which operates in life sciences and diagnostics, is listed on US markets under the ticker RVTY. Interest centers on its current valuation and market performance, though no specific earnings announcement, price move, or corporate development has been detailed in available coverage.

The US Department of Energy has announced up to $400 million in funding for basic research aimed at advancing the frontiers of science. The programme will support fundamental scientific work across national laboratories and research institutions, though detailed allocations and eligible research areas have not yet been laid out in the announcement.

US colleges and universities are wrestling with how to handle student use of artificial intelligence in science, technology, engineering and math courses. Instructors face uncertain effects on learning: AI can help students work through problems, but may also undermine the practice needed to build core skills. Institutions are experimenting with policies ranging from outright bans to structured integration, with no consensus yet on the best approach.