universities

Physicists report new evidence that gravity behaves holographically, meaning it can collapse the dimensions of space, though the implications for reality remain unknown. The findings, reported by Quanta Magazine, touch on the idea that our three-dimensional universe may be encoded on a lower-dimensional surface. Researchers say they understand the math but not yet what it means for the nature of spacetime, and cosmologists are debating the consequences.

About 4,600 Service Employees International Union staff at Oregon's seven public universities are poised to begin a strike on Monday. The walkout would affect campus operations across the state's university system, with the labor action coming amid ongoing contract negotiations between the union and university management. Students and staff are watching closely as the deadline approaches, with no deal announced ahead of the planned strike date.

Data analytics company Databricks is paying $22.8 million for naming rights to the University of California, Berkeley's football field. The deal is being framed as more than a sports marketing play: Databricks was founded by Berkeley alumni and professors, and the investment signals its deep ties to the campus and its ambition to recruit talent and boost its brand as it grows ahead of a potential public listing.

UiTM Holdings is under scrutiny by Malaysia's anti-corruption agency, the MACC, over a payment of RM42 million linked to a solar project. The payment is being questioned as part of the agency's examination of the deal. Further details about the project, those involved, or the status of the investigation have not yet been made public.

Universities worldwide are grappling with how to integrate artificial intelligence tools into teaching without eroding students' critical thinking skills. The debate covers how AI can support learning and research while institutions weigh academic integrity, assessment design, and the risk of over-reliance on automated tools, with statistics cited on adoption rates across higher education.

Southern Cross University is pursuing a strategy in India focused on building a scientific evidence base for traditional medicine. The initiative, reported by BioSpectrum Asia, signals growing collaboration between Australian researchers and India's traditional medicine sector, where validating herbal and ancient practices through rigorous research is an increasing priority for regulators, industry and academia.

Researchers at the University of Cambridge report that sex differences in attention can be detected in newborns, based on a new study. The finding is drawing discussion about what it suggests regarding innate cognitive differences between males and females, and how early such differences emerge. Commenters are debating the methodology, the size of the observed effect, and the broader social implications of the research.

Bangladeshi news outlet Jamuna TV reports from Chittagong University on the recovery of the iPhone belonging to Oprotim's mother. In the report, the mother of the accused explains how the phone was recovered. The story is drawing wide attention as the case remains a focus of public discussion in Bangladesh.

New research suggests overlapping genes, where two genes share the same DNA sequence, evolve under different rules in bacteria compared with complex organisms. In bacteria, overlapping genes appear more constrained by each other's function, while in eukaryotes the pressures differ. The finding could reshape how scientists model genome evolution and predict mutations across species.

Investors Ben Horowitz and Marc Andreessen, co-founders of venture firm Andreessen Horowitz, are funding a new academy designed as an alternative to a traditional college education. The Wall Street Journal reports on the project, which reflects growing interest in Silicon Valley in challenging the four-year degree as the default path to a career, particularly for students interested in technology and entrepreneurship.

The University of Nebraska Board of Regents has approved the university's representatives to serve on the Nebraska Medicine board. The move formalizes university leadership's role in the governance of the state's major academic health system. Details about the individual appointees and terms were not immediately available, but the decision advances coordination between the university and Nebraska Medicine.

The Hill carries a commentary arguing that American colleges and universities have a responsibility to help the country keep the commitments it makes to service members, particularly around education benefits and support for veterans transitioning to civilian life. The piece calls on higher education institutions to do more to fulfill obligations made to those who serve in the US military.

The UN Human Rights Council has adopted Namibia's Universal Periodic Review outcome by consensus, a step the report describes as a significant milestone in the country's ongoing engagement with the international human rights system. The UPR process involves UN member states reviewing each other's human rights records and accepting or noting recommendations. Adoption by consensus indicates no member state objected to the outcome document.

The University of Arizona has issued a warning to students about cyclophrine, an emerging street drug. The alert cautions the campus community about the substance, which health officials say is newly appearing in illicit drug supplies and whose effects and potency are not well understood. Little verified information is available beyond the university's warning itself.

Eyal Weizman, professor of spatial and visual cultures at Goldsmiths, University of London, and founder of the research agency Forensic Architecture, is taking part in a discussion about his book "Ungrounding: The Architecture of Genocide". The conversation covers his investigations into destruction in Gaza and the built environment's role in the Israel-Palestine conflict, drawing attention amid ongoing fighting.

The University of Nebraska Board of Regents has approved the university's representatives to serve on the Nebraska Medicine board. The move formalises which university officials will sit on the governing body of the health system tied to the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Details about the individual representatives and their terms have not been broadly reported, and there has been little public reaction or debate so far.

Classified staff at a university are set to walk off the job on Monday, with contract negotiations between the employees' union and the administration still underway. The planned strike affects workers in support and administrative roles, and it remains uncertain whether last-minute bargaining will avert the walkout before the deadline.