This article first appeared in The Checkup,MIT Technology Reviewsweekly biotech newsletter. To receive it in your inbox every Thursday, and read articles like this first,sign up here. On January 20, his first day in office, US president Donald Trump signed an executive order to withdraw the US from the World Health Organization. Ooh, thats a big one, he said as he was handed the document. The US is the biggest donor to the WHO, and the loss of this income is likely to have a significant impact on the organization, which develops international health guidelines, investigates disease outbreaks, and acts as an information-sharing hub for member states. But the US will also lose out. Its a very tragic and sad event that could only hurt the United States in the long run, says William Moss, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. Trump appears to take issue with the amount the US donates to the WHO. He points out that it makes a much bigger contribution than China, a country with a population four times that of the US. It seems a little unfair to me, he said as he prepared to sign the executive order. It is true that the US is far and away the biggest financial supporter of the WHO. The US contributed $1.28 billion over the two-year period covering 2022 and 2023. By comparison, the second-largest donor, Germany, contributed $856 million in the same period. The US currently contributes 14.5% of the WHOs total budget. But its not as though the WHO sends a billion-dollar bill to the US. All member states are required to pay membership dues, which are calculated as a percentage of a countrys gross domestic product. For the US, this figure comes to $130 million. China pays $87.6 million. But the vast majority of the USs contributions to the WHO are made on a voluntary basisin recent years, the donations have been part of multibillion-dollar spending on global health by the US government. (Separately, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation contributed $830 million over 2022 and 2023.) Theres a possibility that other member nations will increase their donations to help cover the shortfall left by the USs withdrawal. But it is not clear who will step upor what implications it will have to change the structure of donations. Martin McKee, a professor of European public health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, thinks it is unlikely that European members will increase their contributions by much. China, India, Brazil, South Africa, and the Gulf states, on the other hand, may be more likely to pay more. But again, it isnt clear how this will pan out, or whether any of these countries will expect greater influence over global health policy decisions as a result of increasing their donations. WHO funds are spent on a range of global health projectsprograms to eradicate polio, rapidly respond to health emergencies, improve access to vaccines and medicines, develop pandemic prevention strategies, and more. The loss of US funding is likely to have a significant impact on at least some of these programs. Diseases dont stick to national boundaries, hence this decision is not only concerning for the US, but in fact for every country in the world, says Pauline Scheelbeek at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.With the US no longer reporting to the WHO nor funding part of this process, the evidence on which public health interventions and solutions should be based is incomplete. Its going to hurt global health, adds Moss. Its going to come back to bite us. Theres more on how the withdrawal could affect health programs, vaccine coverage, and pandemic preparedness in this weeks coverage. Now read the rest of The Checkup Read more from MIT Technology Review's archive This isnt the first time Donald Trump has signaled his desire for the US to leave the WHO. He proposed a withdrawal during his last term, in 2020. While the WHO is not perfect, it needs more power and funding, not less, Charles Kenny, director of technology and development at the Center for Global Development, argued at the time. The move drew condemnation from those working in public health then, too. The editor in chief of the medical journal The Lancet called it a crime against humanity, as Charlotte Jee reported. In 1974, the WHO launched an ambitious program to get lifesaving vaccines to all children around the world. Fifty years on, vaccines are thought to have averted 154 million deathsincluding 146 million in children under the age of five. The WHO has also seen huge success in its efforts to eradicate polio. Today, wild forms of the virus have been eradicated in all but two countries. But vaccine-derived forms of the virus can still crop up around the world. At the end of a round of discussions in September among WHO member states working on a pandemic agreement, director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus remarked, The next pandemic will not wait for us, whether from a flu virus like H5N1, another coronavirus, or another family of viruses we dont yet know about. The H5N1 virus has been circulating on US dairy farms for months now, and the US is preparing for potential human outbreaks. From around the web People with cancer paid $45,000 for an experimental blood-filtering treatment, delivered at a clinic in Antigua, after being misled about its effectiveness. Six of them have died since their treatments. (The New York Times) The Trump administration has instructed federal health agencies to pause all external communications, such as health advisories, weekly scientific reports, updates to websites, and social media posts. (The Washington Post) A new virtual retina, modeled on human retinas, has been developed to study the impact of retinal implants. The three-dimensional model simulates over 10,000 neurons. (Brain Stimulation) Trump has signed an executive order stating that it is the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female. The document defies decades of research into how human bodies grow and develop, STAT reports, and represents a dramatic failure to understand biology, according to a neuroscientist who studies the development of sex. (STAT) Attention, summer holiday planners: Biting sandflies in the Mediterranean region are transmitting Toscana virus at an increasing rate. The virus is a major cause of central nervous system disorders in the region. Italy saw a 2.6-fold increase in the number of reported infections between the 201621 period and 202223. (Eurosurveillance)

BI journalists share their biggest takeaways and most memorable moments from Davos.The gathering of the rich and powerful was dominated by conversations about AI.The scale of AI offering was giving people 'FOBO' fear of being obsolete.Big names like Donald Trump and David Beckham appeared at this year's World Economic in Davos, but the topic that kept coming up in conversations at the event was AI.These are Business Insider journalists' biggest takeaways and most memorable moments from the gathering of the rich and powerful.Is AI a basic human right?This year I scored an invitation to the Salesforce lunch, where CEO Marc Benioff was on a panel alongside Sara Eisen of CNBC, Kristalina Georgieva of the IMF, Al Gore, will.i.am, and Bridgewater Associates founder Ray Dalio.Benioff asked, "Is AI a basic human right?"This question and the venue in which he asked it a fancy lunch at Davos with Salesforce clients and global luminaries epitomized the polarized and multilayered debates about this technology. Some see it as a powerful universal good maybe even a basic human right. Others see it as a threat to humanity on multiple levels. Maybe it's a bit of both. Whatever it is, it's coming.Some companies are going to capitalize on it, some will try and fail. Salesforce is one company that is already making it happen in practice with its "agentforce" technology.What struck me at Davos that I didn't fully understand before is that the tech world sees AI "agents" as full-time workers who will work side by side with people, not just tools to help people. Benioff said this current generation of CEOs will be the last to manage "exclusively human workforces."With AI agents, he said, institutions will need to figure out how humans and AI "create success together." More on this here from my colleagues Hugh Langley and Spriha Srivastava. Jamie HellerFOBOAll of this might have you feeling a term bobbing around the conference, FOBO fear of being obsolete. To be sure, there is always sand in the wheels that slows these trends down. Some people with whom I spoke said they felt paralyzed by choice, with so many vendors pitching their AI wares. And these services are costly sellers need to persuade buyers the benefits are worth it. But one way or another, change is coming. And we'll do our best at BI to keep you informed on what can help you. Jamie HellerWhat it really takes to help people find and thrive in workOn one panel I moderated about the global jobs gap, the organizers told me the president of Singapore would speak first, for about five minutes. The president, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, ended up speaking for more than 15 minutes and it was riveting. (You can watch here.)In a soft-spoken tone, reminding me of a grandfather calmly dispensing wisdom, President Tharman urged the audience to think broadly about how to solve the mounting problems of global un- and under-employment. It's not just about wages and job creation, he said. It's about how we raise children (the first three years, he said, are critical). It's about how we educate people (countries with strong public school systems where a wide swath of people can participate and benefit do better, he said).In higher education, it's about giving people relevant skills that can serve them and not leave them feeling dispirited that their investment in education (perhaps their family's or the state's) didn't pay off.He argued that liberal arts education is not a match for many people for jobs and that the so-called soft skills that such education provides can also be gained in more technical training. "Soft skills are not the sole providence of traditional academic education," he said.He said that in the years to come, many people will work their lives in the "informal" sector of employment rather than full-time jobs with benefits, and it's imperative that people in those jobs also have ways to develop skills and enjoy basic protections.Clearly I think it's worth listening for yourself. As the workplace continues to evolve, we intend to be your place to help you navigate it. Jamie HellerA better way to Davos?For most Davos-goers, The Promenade is where the action happens. Not for Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince this year, who told us he spent the first three days of this year's Davos barreling down the nearby ski slopes with clients and some members of the US ski team.And he's confident that swapping the meeting room for the ski lift will pay off. "We'll do more business this year than ever before," he told BI. Maybe that's a good tip for the rest of us for 2026? Hugh Langley

Keith Anderson transitioned from teaching to Big Tech in 2016 and boosted his salary significantly.He faced burnout in academia but soon learned Big Tech roles included some of the same challenges.Anderson learned to advocate for himself and manage his stress, and he now runs Career Alchemy.This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Keith Anderson, a 36-year-old former English teacher and Big Tech worker who's now the founder of Career Alchemy in Greater Boston. It's been edited for length and clarity.Within seven years, I transitioned from teaching English to working at Google, Uber, YouTube, Meta, DoorDash, and the weight-loss startup Calibrate. I was an individual contributor at Uber and Google, in design leadership roles at Meta and DoorDash, and in senior leadership at Calibrate.As a university lecturer at the start of my career, I faced relentless anxiety about job insecurity and low pay. My passion for educating the next generation kept me going.Once I moved into tech, my salary rose seven times from what I made as a teacher from $30,000 to over $200,000 a year, plus $150,000 in equity in one of my leadership positions but at the cost of my mental health.In 2015, I'd been teaching English for eight years and was burned outI became so burned out that I developed pneumonia, mainly due to exhaustion. While in the ICU, the university I worked for asked when I would be returning. This was a wake-up call, and I didn't return.If I had continued teaching, I would also have had limited career growth. My salary wouldn't have increased much, and I would probably have needed to continue living in my rent-controlled apartment in San Francisco and would never have been able to buy my own place. That wasn't the life I wanted for myself.I learned web development and graphic design to pivot to a new careerI attended a front-end coding boot camp called Thinkful and took graphic design classes at the Academy of Art University to hone a new skill set. I finally shifted to a new job in 2016: A contract position at Google.A recruiter reached out about the opportunity, and both the recruiter and Google's hiring manager were impressed by my portfolio. My teaching background was also seen as an asset for a role with the customer education team.I stepped into a world of innovation and speed. I remember thinking, "This is it, I've made it," but I soon realized the pace at Google was a different beast.Starting at Google was a rude awakeningBefore I started, I'd seen this video about the resort-like experience Google employees had every day. It looked like heaven, and I dreamed of being a part of it.I soon learned the resort-like experience I'd dreamed about was only a small part of Google culture. I hadn't considered that transitioning from academia to tech would require a major mindset shift.The stress was familiar, but the context was entirely new. In academia, an average project typically lasted two to three months, which allowed time for thorough research and planning. At Google, a similar-sized project needed to be completed within a week. The focus shifted from perfection to effective execution, which was challenging but vital to success in the tech industry.Also, before joining, I thought Big Tech companies were innovators not just in their products but also in their operations. When I saw it all up close, I realized that these organizations had many growing pains, like what I experienced in higher education. All of this stressed me out, just like higher education did.From 2016 to 2018, I moved from Google to Uber to YouTube. From 2019 to 2021, I worked as a learning design manager at Meta.I had an epiphany during my time at Meta Anderson in the Facebook office. Courtesy of Keith Anderson During my time at Meta amid the intensity of high-profile speaking opportunities at conferences and strategic planning I had an epiphany: No matter what your job is, handling stress and anxiety in the workplace is within your control. The key is how you navigate and tackle it.This realization changed everything for me. I began to advocate for myself more strongly at work, understanding that my happiness and mental well-being were in my own hands, not dictated by the prestige of my job or the company.My approach to work transformed when I observed successful colleagues' behaviors. They would strategically evaluate requests and weren't afraid to say no when appropriate, always linking their decisions to key business metrics like revenue generation, cost savings, or efficiency improvements. This insight helped me shift from a people pleaser working 60+ hours weekly to a strategic team player focused on impact.Success isn't just about what you achieve but how you manage the journeyStress is a part of any job, but it doesn't have to define your experience. My teaching and corporate roles taught me the importance of prioritization and built my resilience.For those moving into tech, remember your unique background is an asset.Last February, I left DoorDash and Big Tech entirely to focus on my career coaching company I started working on part-time in May 2022. While launching my business brought new challenges, my varied background equipped me well.I'm now privileged to support hundreds of professionals through their career journeys. Every step of my journey, including the challenges, has contributed to who I am today.Want to share your Big Tech experience? Email Lauryn Haas at lhaas@businessinsider.com.

Miguel Arraiz Reveals Temple of the Deep for Burning Man 2025 in Nevada, United StatesSave this picture!2025 Black Rock City Temple: Temple of the Deep. Image Miguel Arraiz GarcaSpanish architect Miguel Arraiz has introduced the design for the 2025 Burning Man Temple, titled Temple of the Deep. Drawing inspiration from the natural landscape of the Black Rock Desert, the Temple aims to provide a space for reflection, healing, and connection. The Temple of the Deep explores the concept of radical acceptance, emphasizing the importance of fully experiencing emotions as part of the healing process.The design aims to encourage participants to engage with their feelings without the pressure to move through grief or transformation too quickly. It serves as a space where emotions can be acknowledged openly, allowing for personal growth and resilience. The Temple's design is influenced by two primary ideas. The first is a connection to nature, with the Temple envisioned as a shelter, similar to caves, rocks, and mountains, where people have historically gathered for reflection and spiritual connection.Save this picture!The second influence is the underlying geometric structure, which incorporates elements reminiscent of Baroque architecture, shaping movement and perspective within the space. This combination of natural and structured forms creates an environment for contemplation and interaction. The visual representation of the Temple is that of a large fractured black rock, symbolizing the experience of loss and healing. Inspired by the Japanese art of kintsugi, where broken objects are repaired with gold to highlight their history, the Temple's design embraces imperfections as part of the journey toward wholeness. Related Article Unveiling the 15 Most Significant Architectural Events of 2025 Miguel Arraiz, who has experience in both architecture and ephemeral art, leads the Temple project. His background includes working on large-scale installations for Valencia's Las Fallas festival and participating in previous Burning Man events. Temple of the Deep is intended to serve as a communal space where participants can reflect on their experiences, connect with others, and find meaning in the process of healing. Opportunities to contribute, whether through volunteering, donations, or personal expressions, are open to all, ensuring that the Temple remains a collective and participatory effort.Save this picture!Save this picture!In 2024, Burning Man once again transformed the Black Rock Desert into a hub of creativity and self-expression, showcasing an eclectic mix of large-scale installations and interactive art. Temporary architecture, characterized by its ephemeral nature, serves as a platform for experimentation and engagement, pushing the boundaries of design and spatial concepts while offering innovative, interactive experiences. In other similar news, architects Belinda Tato and Jose Luis Vallejo of Ecosistema Urbano have designed Polinature, a plug-in public space that demonstrates how small-scale interventions can positively impact local micro-climates and biodiversity. In Europe, a number of climate-responsive pavilions have been unveiled, showcasing design strategies that address environmental challenges through sustainable materials and adaptive technologies.Image gallerySee allShow lessAbout this authorNour FakharanyAuthorCite: Nour Fakharany. "Miguel Arraiz Reveals Temple of the Deep for Burning Man 2025 in Nevada, United States" 24 Jan 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1026145/miguel-arraiz-reveals-temple-of-the-deep-for-burning-man-2025-in-nevada-united-states&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Bilbao, the largest city in Spain's Basque Country, has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past few decades. Once an industrial hub, the city has redefined itself as a center for culture, innovation, and urban regeneration. This evolution has been partly driven by architecture, which plays a central role in shaping Bilbao's identity. From contemporary landmarks to thoughtfully repurposed spaces, the city's built environment reflects a careful balance between honoring its industrial heritage and embracing modernity.

Nature, Published online: 22 January 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-024-08476-9A phased pangenome of potato constructed from 60 wild and cultivated haplotypes shows that substantial hybridization occurred during domestication and enables identification of many putative deleterious variants, providing a basis for the design of improved inbred lines.

Nature, Published online: 22 January 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-024-08439-0Mitochondria with mutations in their DNA from cancer cells can be transferred to Tcells in the tumour microenvironment, which leads to Tcell dysfunction and impaired antitumour immunity.

Researchers documented the first spotted hyena in Egypt for 5,000 years after it was hit with a pickup truck for killing goats.

Show us what you've got. Enter your work into the Adobe MAX Creativity Awards! Check out the six unique categories and apply. Submissions are open from 9/3-9/19. Learn more. https://adobe.ly/3XlMTvN

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