After 22 years at IBM, where he rose to senior vice president and director of IBM Research, Dr. Dario Gil now leads one of the most ambitious science and technology initiatives in a generation. As director of the Genesis Mission, Gil is orchestrating a convergence of high-performance computing, AI, and quantum computing aimed at fundamentally...
EPA proposes studying microplastics for potential drinking water limits
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to propose to study microplastics and pharmaceuticals in what could be the first step toward drinking water limits for these substances. The Trump administration is touting the move as a win for the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, a subset of voters that is skeptical of the chemical...
Trump’s ‘God Squad’ exempts Gulf oil drilling from Endangered Species Act requirements
Trump administration officials on Tuesday exempted drilling in the Gulf of Mexico from complying with Endangered Species Act (ESA) requirements. The administration took the extraordinary step of convening the Endangered Species Commission — sometimes nicknamed the “God Squad” for its ability to condemn a species to extinction — for the first time in more than...
Why intentional fires can still be safe during this dry spring
Late winter and early spring in the West can be snowy and rainy one minute, sunny and 70 degrees the next. Seasonal shifts are everywhere: bright green new growth, the first wildflowers, birdsong and … periodic plumes of smoke? Depending on where you live, spring can be an ideal time to light intentional, controlled fires....
Rice University Researchers Discover Breakthrough PFAS-destroying Technology
First commercially introduced in the 1940s due to their water-, stain-, and grease-resistant properties, they are commonly found in clothing, non-stick cookware, and other everyday household items. Because they persist for long periods in the environment, PFAS have been found in drinking water across the country.
Natural Biopesticides Could Help Farmers Avoid Residue Limits and Reduce Food Waste
As the global population grows, bio-innovative solutions capable of meeting rising food demand will be critical to sustainably safeguarding the global food supply and mitigating environmental risks. Among the companies contributing to global crop protection efforts is Eden Research, a UK-based developer of sustainable fungicides.
In Ski Towns, a Bad Snow Year Is Worsening Wildfire Fears
Read more in the New York Times here.
How to Accelerate American Science
Over the holidays this winter, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) solicited information on how “to accelerate the American scientific enterprise, enable groundbreaking discoveries, and ensure that scientific progress and technological innovation benefit all Americans.” Building on work to accelerate and reform the American scientific enterprise, I offered suggestions for how to effectively direct this effort to improve the function, productivity, vitality, and health of American science. It is a welcome attempt to wrest American science from the grip of malaise that characterizes the status quo. Science is viewed as slowing down, productivity decreasing, and requiring more resources, more grants, and more personnel to achieve tremendous breakthroughs.
2026 fire season off to ominous start after relatively mild 2025
Read more in Utility Dive here.
Bees are Essential to Feeding the World. Can This Company Save Them?
Bees are among the most important and best-known pollinators on the planet. Despite their small size, these insects play an outsized role in sustaining the global food supply. That’s why AI-powered beehive company Beewise wants to save them.








