Kathleen Kennedy, who has overseen Lucasfilm and theStar Wars franchise since the company was sold to Disney by George Lucas, is stepping down.Thats per Puck, who says Kennedy has told friends and associates that she will exit as Lucasfilm president by the end of the year. (In their article on the news,The Hollywood Reporterrefers to it as a retirement;Kennedy turns 72 later this summer.)Star Wars Celebration: "The Rise of Skywalker" PanelGetty Imagesloading...Kennedy joined Lucasfilm shortly before Lucas sold the company to Disney and then took over his role as its president upon the sale and his departure. Under her leadership,Star Warsreturned to prominence in movie theaters, and became an ongoing TV franchise as well. Thefranchises early years under Kennedy were marked by one massive success after another.Disneys firstStar Wars film,The Force Awakens, is still the highest-grossing movie ever in the United States. Several otherStar Wars films she produced became multibillion hits.But in recent years, the franchises track record has been a bit more uneven. For everyThe Mandalorian, theres been aBook of Boba Fett, and afterThe Last Jedi became a polarizing film among fans, the franchise released the widely dislikedThe Rise of Skywalker still the most recentStar Wars to hit theaters some six years later.There have been all sorts of reports of behind-the-scenes drama as well, with numerous projects getting announced (like Patty JenkinsRogue Squadron or Rian Johnsons spinoff trilogy) and then never coming to fruition. There were high profile changes to projects mid-production as well;Solo: A Star Wars Story began as a Phil Lord and Chris Miller movie, but they were let go int the middle of the shoot and replaced by Ron Howard. The finished film grossed less than $400 million worldwide far less than half of whatThe Force Awakens earned in the U.S. alone.With Kennedy moving on, it will be interesting to see how her era ofStar Wars ages in the eyes of fans. George Lucas leftStar Warsafter years of fans claiming he had abused their childhoods with the Prequel Trilogy. These days, a lot of fans claim to prefer those movies to DisneysStar Wars efforts. In 15 years, will that generation of fans say the same thing about Kennedys work? Only time will tell.The nextStar Warsmovie,The Mandalorian& Grogu, is currently scheduled to premiere in theaters on May 22, 2026.Actors Who Were Wasted in Star Wars RolesThese wonderful stars have appeared in Star Wars movies and shows, but only in parts so small they left us disappointed.

The slogan of the fictional Hollywood studio in Robert AltmansThe Player summed it up best: Movies, Now More Than Ever!Eh, maybe not. Still: Whether its in a movie theater, on home video, or on streaming, you are never far from a great work of cinema these days and thanks to all of those outlets there are more great movies available to watch at the push of a couple buttons now than ever before. There are so many options, in fact, that it can sometimes get a little overwhelming. I cant be the only one whos settled down in front of the TV to watch something, only to spend 20 minuteslooking through Netflix, Max, Hulu, Criterion, and so on, unable to decide on a title and then give up and go to bed without watching anything at all.When I was a wee lad growing up in the wilds of suburban New Jersey, I used Roger EbertsThe Great Movies or books like50,001 Movies You Need to Watch Before Youre Eaten By Rabid Squirrelsto determine my viewing choices. So maybe the list below will be of similar use for the indecisive streamers out there like myself. It lists the single best movie of every year (at least according to yours truly) from 1970 to today. Thats over 50 classic titles every person should see before theyre eaten by rabid squirrels. Most are widely available to rent or stream at home right now.After that, uh, well, have you seenCitizen Kane? Thats pretty good too.The Best Movie Every Year Since 1970Here is the #1 movie you have to see every single year for over 50 years.READ MORE: The Dumbest Sequel Subtitles EverThe Worst Movie Every Year Since 1970Here are decades worth of crummy movies the worst movie released every single year from 1970 to today.

All jobs Senior Backend Developer SaaS Posted A few minutes ago Apply now OverviewCData Virtuality is a strong data integration and management solution and Product Unit of CData Software. We are known for our powerful data virtualization capabilities that enable companies to access, integrate, and manage data from multiple sources in real-time without the need for extensive data replication. CData Virtuality's platform supports a variety of data sources and formats, making it a powerful tool for organizations looking to streamline their data infrastructure and improve decision-making processes.THE POSITIONWhat You'll Do:Elevate our Core: Drive the further development of our Data Virtuality Platform's core and backend APIs, optimizing our powerful suite of tools.Innovate and Integrate: Conceive, develop, and integrate new components and applications that meet our high standards of innovation and functionality.Enhance and Optimize: Analyze and enhance existing components, ensuring our platform operates at peak efficiency and continues to meet evolving needs.Troubleshoot and Resolve: Employ your problem-solving skills in identifying and rectifying bugs, thereby maintaining the reliability and performance of our systems.YOUR TECH STACK:5+ years of proven hands-on experience in J2EE development, particularly with application servers such as WildFly, JBoss, or Tomcat.Extensive experience in database design and complex SQL queries.Deep knowledge of OOD, Java, XML, J2EE (including JSP, JMS, EJB, Servlets, JDBC, JPA), and Web Services (SOAP & REST).Experience with Hibernate, understanding of RDBMS principles, data warehousing, modern architectural concepts, design patterns, and agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban).Familiarity with development technologies, assembly tools like Maven, and versioning tools like SVN or Git.Experience with cloud platforms like AWS, GCP, or Azure is highly desirable.NICE-TO-HAVE:Experience with various operating systems (Windows, Linux, MacOS).Academic background in Computer Science, IT, Software Engineering, or a related field.AI-related experienceYOUR PERSONAL STACKExcellent verbal and written English skills.You bring a problem-solving mindset that blends thoughtful analysis with a pragmatic, hands-on approach to development.A team player at heart, you're also capable of independently tackling complex problems.You understand and anticipate the needs of our customers, ensuring our solutions are perfectly aligned with their requirements.Why Join Us?You'll be part of a dynamic team that values innovation and efficiency. We provide a stimulating work environment where creativity is encouraged, and your contributions make a real impact. Enjoy the perks of working with top-tier colleagues on this exciting project that redefines how businesses interact with data.What our amazing team worldwide loves about working with CData VirtualityA stable and reliable job with the freedom and flexibility of a freelancerWorking as a contractor worldwide or as an employee in GermanyFlexible working hours and workplacePaid vacation days and paid sick leavesFast and dependable monthly payment in EUR, USD, or Crypto, as you preferContributing to the success of a growing companyWorking with cutting-edge technologiesKnowledgeable and approachable C-LevelContinuity and growth potentialSmart, friendly, and international colleaguesFull integration into our teams and invitations for our team events worldwide-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------We are committed to creating a diverse environment and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.Apply NowLet's start your dream job Apply now CData Virtuality View company Jobs posted: 4 Related Jobs Remote Design jobs

This is today's edition ofThe Download,our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology. Are friends electric? Thankfully, the difference between humans and machines in the real world is easy to discern, at least for now. While machines tend to excel at things adults find difficultplaying world-champion-level chess, say, or multiplying really big numbersthey find it hard to accomplish stuff a five-year-old can do with ease, such as catching a ball or walking around a room without bumping into things. This fundamental tensionwhat is hard for humans is easy for machines, and whats hard for machines is easy for humansis at the heart of three new books delving into our complex and often fraught relationship with robots, AI, and automation. They force us to reimagine the nature of everything from friendship and love to work, health care, and home life. Read the full story.Bryan GardinerThis story is from the next edition of our print magazine, which is all about relationships. Subscribe now to read it and get a copy of the magazine when it lands on February 26! If youre interested in how technology is influencing our relationships, why not check out these stories: + Chatbots are rapidly changing how we connect with our spouses, kids, colleagues, friends, and even ourselves. And theyre providing us with everything from argument arbitration tips and emotional support to parenting help and even romance. Read the full story. + An AI chatbot told a user how to kill himselfbut the company doesnt want to censor it. Read the full story.+ How cuddly robots could change dementia care. Researchers are using AI and technological advancements to create companion robots. Read the full story.+ Technology that lets us speak to our dead relatives has arrived. Are we ready? Digital clones of the people we love could forever change how we grieve.The must-reads Ive combed the internet to find you todays most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 DOGE plans to use AI to decide federal workers fate The department will feed employees emails into an AI model which will determine whether their jobs are necessary. (NBC News)+ Its part of its cut-first-ask-questions-later approach. (WP $)+ Even Trump appointees are taken aback by how gung-ho Elon Musk is being. (Vox)+ The now-public email address has been inundated with spam. (TechCrunch) 2 Ukraine is on the verge of losing its most sophisticated weaponry If the US pulls military aid, Ukraine and its allies will struggle to cover the shortfall in equipment. (WSJ $)+ Volodmyr Zelensky is one of the few leaders standing up to Donald Trump. (The Atlantic $)+ Meet the radio-obsessed civilian shaping Ukraines drone defense. (MIT Technology Review)3 Anthropic has released a hybrid-reasoning AI model Some answers dont require extensive, human-like reasoning after all. (Bloomberg $)+ Whats next for AI in 2025. (MIT Technology Review)4 Were probably not going to be hit by an asteroid in 2032 But the moon may not be so lucky. (NY Mag $)+ The first asteroid mining company hopes to launch this week. (NYT $)5 Europe has launched a new AI-powered weather prediction systemIt can outperform traditional forecasting methods up to 15 days in advance. (FT $)+ Google DeepMinds new AI model is the best yet at weather forecasting. (MIT Technology Review) 6 Elizabeth Holmes conviction has been upheldThe Theranos founders multi-year appeal was rejected. (The Guardian) 7 Dating whistleblowers are being targeted by a Telegram network Women who warn others in the Facebook group Are We Dating the Same Guy? are being doxxed and harassed. (Wired $)8 Deep sea minings effects last for decadesBiodiversity suffers in previously-mined trenches in comparison to untouched areas. (New Scientist $) + These deep-sea potatoes could be the future of mining for renewable energy. (MIT Technology Review)9 Nigerias cloud startups are booming Move over, Amazon and Google. (Rest of World) 10 An AI video of Trump sucking Musks toes is being played on US government TVs Maybe not all AI art is bad, after all. (404 Media)Quote of the day The vast majority are not drinking the Kool-Aid, they are not activistsbut they are conflicted. Ariella Steinhorn, who runs a whistleblower-supporting media company, explains how most workers at Big Tech firms feel about their bosses aligning themselves with Donald Trump to the Financial Times. The big story Inside NASAs bid to make spacecraft as small as possible October 2023 Since the 1970s, weve sent a lot of big things to Mars. But when NASA successfully sent twin Mars Cube One spacecraft, the size of cereal boxes, in November 2018, it was the first time wed ever sent something so small. Just making it this far heralded a new age in space exploration. NASA and the community of planetary science researchers caught a glimpse of a future long sought: a pathway to much more affordable space exploration using smaller, cheaper spacecraft. Read the full story.David W. Brown We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet 'em at me.) + RIP Roberta Flack, one of the realest to ever do it.+ Very cool: its looking like Bigfoot could become Californias first official cryptid + These portraits concealed within masterpiece paintings are mind blowing.+ Happy birthday to the late, great George Harrison, who would have been 82 today.

Teams led by Foster & Partners, Heatherwick Studio and Wilkinson Eyre vying forone of the most significant design projects in recent British historyThe winning team will be announced this summerFoster & Partners, Heatherwick Studio and Wilkinson Eyre are among five design teams shortlisted by the government in the contest to design a memorial to Queen Elizabeth II.Two further teams led by landscape architects Tom Stuart-Smith and J&L Gibbons have also made the second round of the open competition launched in December last year.The Cabinet Office has described the permanent 46m memorial, which will be located in St Jamess Park, as one of the most significant design projects in recent British history.Shortlist for the Queen Elizabeth II National MemorialFoster & Partners with Yinka Shonibare and Michel Desvigne PaysagisteHeatherwick Studio with Halima Cassell, MRG Studio, Webb Yates and ArupJ&L Gibbons with Michael Levine RDI, William Matthews Associates, Structure Workshop and ArupTom Stuart-Smith with Jamie Fobert Architects, Adam Lowe (Factum Arte) and Structure WorkshopWilkinson Eyre with Lisa Vandy and Fiona Clark, Andy Sturgeon Design, Atelier One and Hilson MoranDesign teams have been asked to create a masterplan that celebrates the late Queens life of service while providing spaces for reflection on the chosen site, which covers land either side of the pathway leading to the parks lake.Specific interventions will include the replacement of the 1950s Blue Bridge, a statue of the late Queen designed by a sculptor appointed by the winning team, new landscaping and artistic installations.The memorial will be located in St Jamess Park on land either side of its lakeThe winning team will be announced this summer alongside the appointment of the teams chosen artist or sculptor, with the final design to be formally announced in April next year to coincide with what would have been Queen Elizabeths hundredth birthday.The competition is being run by the The Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee, chaired by the Queens former private secretary Robin Janvrin, which is working with Malcolm Reading Consultants.Janvrin has said the memorial must be - simply - a beautiful place, somewhere to visit with family and friends, to enjoy and to reflect on an extraordinary life.Janvrin, a British naval officer who was the Queens private secretary from 1999 to 2007, said tams would be challenged in the second stage to evoke memories of Queen Elizabeth IIs outstanding contribution to national life and to tell the story of Her Majestys long reign through an original masterplan that is sensitive to the unique setting.The competition follows extensive engagement by the committee with the four nations of the United Kingdom to inform its scope and brief.The Blue Bridge, built in 1957, will be replaced as part of the memorial project

An application for the seven-storey purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) on a surface car park in Britannia Street has been lodged with Camden Borough Council. The proposed development will also provide 60m of community space.Backed by Curlew Capital, the scheme responds to significant technical constraints and involves complex engineering to build over the subterranean rail line beneath the western edge of the north London site.The design features three main elements: a lightweight pavilion above the tunnel supported by an independent raft foundation; a cantilevered western section hung from roof level; and a more substantial eastern block providing structural support.AdvertisementThe building has been designed to step down towards the Grade II-listed 1865 Derby Lodge flats and draws on the areas industrial and residential heritage with its light brickwork, metalwork and perforated screens that complement the conservation areas character.The ground level features a community space, which the AJ100 practice says will offer priority access for local organisations, together with student amenity areas wrapping around a green central courtyard. Source:Sheppard RobsonThe student accommodation includes corridors punctuated by communal nooks designed to create an inviting place for students to congregate and socialise.A landscaped rooftop terrace will have views across London towards St Pancras and the BT Tower.The 31 million-turnover Camden-based practice claims the schemes adaptable layouts mean it could be converted in the future into other compact living uses, such as a hotel, co-living or care facility.AdvertisementThe all-electric proposals aim to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating and will feature air source heat pumps and photovoltaic panels.The faade design responds to solar orientation, with carefully calibrated window proportions and shading elements to maximise daylight and views out while preventing overheating.Sheppard Robson partner Dan Burr said the design demonstrates how technical challenges can drive inventive architectural composition.He added: Through collaboration with our neighbours and the planning officers, weve developed a scheme that not only overcomes significant engineering challenges but that will enhance the conservation area and provide much-needed student accommodation in Londons Knowledge Quarter.A future timsecale is not yet known.Project dataLocation Kings Cross, LondonLocal authorityCamden Borough CouncilType of projectPBSA and community spaceClientCurlew CapitalArchitectSheppard RobsonLandscape architectPAD LandscapesPlanning consultantKnight FrankServices and structural engineerWSPFire engineerHeliosSustainability consultantEnsphereHeritage consultantMontagu EvansProject managerGleedsEarly concept sketch

It's 2025, Adobe's iconic photo editor Photoshop just celebrated its 35th birthday and we finally have a true Photoshop mobile app. Based on what we saw at Adobe's preview in New York this week, the new Photoshop iPhone app is something new altogether -- not a shrunken version of the industry-standard desktop app, nor a basic upgrade from the current Photoshop Express. It's a surprising evolution of the program that thousands of creators use every day.Adobe has been working on Photoshop-branded mobile apps for over 15 years, launching and dropping products like Photoshop Express and Photoshop Touch along the way. There have been other Adobe mobile apps that've picked up steam and fulfilled different needs, too. Raw camera photographers got Lightroom's mobile app back in 2017. Two years later in 2019, Adobe launched Fresco, its mobile painting and drawing app which started on iPad and subsequently expanded to the iPhone. But for creators who favor Photoshop above all else, there's been something of a Photoshop-sized hole that none of these other mobile apps have been able to fill, until now.The iOS Photoshop app is available globally today, free with a basic feature set or with full features through the new $8 a month app-plus-Photoshop-web subscription ($70 a year). An Android app is coming later this year, the company said in its press release. The app will also be included with other Photoshop-inclusive plans, such as the Photography plan or Creative Cloud All Apps. The files are supported across all the platforms.While many of the features you know and love about Photoshop are present in the app, the iOS app is still a radical break from what longtime users will think of as traditional Photoshop, offering a more Photoshop Elements-like vibe. That makes sense, as Adobe says the app is designed for the "next generation of creators" who find the phone a more convenient device for work.Someresearchpoints to younger folks, like Gen Z and Alpha, as being more mobile-inclined, but the professionals that make up the majority of Photoshop's users might not enjoy the pared-down experience. On the flip side, the app could also offer a less intimidating pathway into Photoshop for creators who might be overwhelmed by the desktop or web's feature-packed interface.As with any mobile app, its shortcomings may be overlooked due to convenience. Adobe views the app as a bridge to other Photoshop versions, with more advanced features on the web and an even greater step up on desktop. Here's everything you can expect to see with the new Photoshop iPhone app.What's old is new again (and other new things)Veteran Photoshop users will see a lot of familiar territory when they first open the app, from layers to masking and all the usual retouching tools. But the built-for-mobile UI will still put professional users on a learning curve. Tap Select on the Photoshop iPhone app Katelyn Chedraoui/CNETOne of the biggest new features in the Photoshop app is the Tap Select tool. Photoshop may not seem to need yet another selection tool (remember the joke in the Barbie movie about having too many?), but it's a useful addition for working on a smaller screen and workspace. Tap Select works just like it sounds -- it analyzes your project, then identifies and highlights all the distinct objects in the image. You can then tap to select multiple objects from the thumbnails displayed in a row at the bottom, masking and editing them as needed.Your iPhone app is synced with your Adobe account so you can pull photos from Lightroom or paintings and sketches from Fresco to edit in the mobile app. If you're starting a brand new project, you can also use Adobe's Firefly AI models to generate AI images or pull from theAdobe Stock free collection (no need to sign in, manually download and license). And like every other version of Photoshop, the mobile app is loaded with Adobe's generative AI-powered tools, including the popular Photoshop Generative Fill.The paid version unlocks additional editing tools like the magic wand and spot healing, along with advanced web features such as AI-based Generate Similar, Reference Image, a more precise Object Select tool and more.Evolving Photoshop for the small screenThe launch of the Photoshop mobile app comes at a time when photo editing software and mobile devices are all getting AI makeovers. Over the past few years, Adobe has gone all in on AI, to the dismay of some wary creators. Most of Adobe's creative products have gotten major AI-powered upgrades, whether it's tools to extend video clips in Premiere Pro or help erasing wires and cables in Photoshop.Adobe shows no signs of slowing down; the public beta of its AI video generator debuted earlier this month. At the same time, smartphone makers like Apple, Samsung and Google have loaded up their newest devices with all kinds of AI. Some of these mobile AI programs include photo editing tools, like Apple Intelligence's image playground and clean-up tool. Plus, photo editing has plenty of competition. Apps like Canva and Photopea may not match Adobe's full feature set, but they offer enough that switching may not be worth it unless you're already invested in Adobe's ecosystem.The Photoshop iPhone app is certainly overdue, fills a niche in Adobe's product line and gives its usual users a more convenient option. But it'll be interesting to see whether the "next generation" of creators Adobe is chasing will gravitate toward the new Photoshop app, one of its many competitors or try their hand at their on-device, AI-upgraded photo editing tools.

Journey into a slice of J.R.R. Tolkien lore in The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, where you'll meet the legendary king of Rohan, Helm Hammerhand.The anime film is directed by Kenji Kamiyama and introduces Helm's daughter Hra as a leading protagonist, along with sons Hma and Haleth. Set more than 180 years before The Lord of the Rings, the story focuses on the Rohirrim and their beef with the Dunlendings. Conflict erupts between the two with Hra and Wulf at the center of the fray, which leads to bloodshed, havoc and some otherworldly surprises.Brian Cox voices Helm, who in an interview with CNET, described the film as allegorical and found that "the patriarchy has made such a mess of stuff, that's there's a future in the matriarchy." War of the Rohirrim's voice cast also includes Gaia Wise as Hra, Miranda Otto as owyn, Luca Pasqualino as Wulf, Laurence Ubong Williams as Fralaf, Shaun Dooleyas Freca and Lorraine Ashbourne as Olwyn.If you missed the movie in theaters, check out details below on when and where to stream it at home.Read more:The Hottest Movie Releases Coming in 2025When to stream 'TheWar of the Rohirrim'The Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema film will hit Max on Friday, Feb. 28, for its exclusive streaming debut. If you have HBO, you can watch it on the network on March 1. Max/Warner Bros. Discovery/James Martin Max subscription plans start at $10 a month if you don't mind ads, but its ad-free options cost $17 per month and $21 monthly to stream in 4K. If you want to save money, you can try out the Max bundle, which includes access toHulu, Disney Plus and Max. The ad-based version is $17 per month, while the ad-free option is $30 monthly. See at Max

February 25, 20255 min readTransgender Youth Have Better EmotionalHealthAfter Taking Hormones, New Study FindsHormone therapy improves transgender young people's well-being and social relationships, but Trumps recent executive order and state bans threaten to take it awayBy Tyler Santora edited by Tanya LewisA demonstrator at the Rise Up for Trans Youth rally against President Donald Trump's executive actions targeting transgender people in New York City on Feb. 7, 2025. Stephanie Keith/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesSuicide attempts among transgender and nonbinary youth jumped by as much as 72 percent from 2018 to 2022 in states that had recently passed laws to curtail their rights. And President Donald Trump took this onslaught to the federal level last month when he signed an executive order to cut federal medical care support for trans people aged 19 and younger, which two federal judges have since temporarily blocked. These political actions affect a set of young people who already had much higher rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicide attempts than their nontransgender peers. Many of the recent state laws ban gender-affirming carewhich a 2022 study suggests is a lifeline for many trans youth. In the study, those who received gender-affirming care had 60 percent lower odds of depression and 73 percent lower odds of suicidality over a 12-month follow-up than those who did not.A growing body of evidence supports the mental health benefits of gender-affirming care for trans youthincluding puberty blockers, hormone therapy and, in very rare cases, surgery. Now a new study adds to this evidence: its the first of its kind to show that hormone therapy improves overall emotional health among trans youth.For the new study, published in January in the Journal of Adolescent Health, researchers tracked the emotional health of 315 trans youth aged 12 to 20 for two years after they began using hormone therapy (testosterone or estrogen). Emotional health is a component of mental health that concerns feelings; it shapes how we act in relationships, react to struggles and generally behave in everyday life. The study also tracked appearance congruence, a measure of how much a persons physical presentation matches their gender identity.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.Over two years, appearance congruence (based on a validated nine-question metric) improved in tandem with all five domains of emotional health: psychological well-being; self-efficacy, or the belief that one can achieve ones goals; social satisfaction, including friendship, emotional support and loneliness; negative social perception, or perceived hostility and rejection; and negative affect, or anger, sadness and fear.Before taking hormones, the participants, on average, had what the authors called clinically concerning scores in the areas of friendship and life satisfaction. After just six months of taking hormones, however, these averages reached healthy levels. The study authors declined to comment on the findings.This adds to a body of literature thats already shown improvements in mental health outcomes and safety, says Jae Corman, an affiliate assistant professor of health systems management and policy at Oregon Health & Science University and head of analytics and research at gender-affirming care service FOLX Health. This is another important dimension: emotional health. Corman was not involved in the new study.Ripley Cleghorn; Source: Movement Advancement Project (data)Emotional health often doesnt receive as much public attention as the broader category of mental health, but the study authors write that its crucial to the latterand to physical health as well. Higher psychological well-being and perceived social support, for example, are associated with lower rates of disease and death. Positive mood is linked to school engagement, sleep quality and increased exercise, and negative mood is associated with a weakened immune system. Loneliness in young people is correlated with depression and anxiety symptoms, problematic alcohol use and an increased risk of long-term mental illness.Trans youth who hadnt undergone significant puberty-related changes before starting hormoneseither because they took puberty blockers or had late-onset pubertyhad better psychological well-being and negative affect scores before starting hormones than those who had already begun puberty. The study authors write that this may be because those who are able to access puberty blockers are more likely to have supportive families with the ability to afford the medication. Or, they add, it could be because they hadnt yet developed unwanted secondary sex characteristics such as breasts or facial hair.Despite studies indicating the benefits of gender-affirming care for trans youth, 23 states have bans in effect, and two additional states have banned surgeries. Trumps recent executive order takes things further: it could withdraw federal funding from hospitals that provide it and drop it from Medicaid coverage.Trumps new executive order calls the evidence supporting gender-affirming care for trans youth junk science. But numerous medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association, support transition-related care for youth, citing decades of research. This research, as well as the clinical experience of [experts] who specialize in treating gender dysphoria show that the use of these medications to treat adolescents is both safe and effective in appropriately identified individuals, medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, wrote in an amicus brief to the Supreme Court for a case that will decide whether states can ban gender-affirming care for trans youth.What we keep seeing is positive results published in top-tier journals, Corman says. These are really scrutinized papers and heavily peer-reviewed, so I think we can trust the evidence here.You get end results where kids are happier, less likely to engage in self-harm and more likely to be resilient and adaptive, says Ralph Vetters, medical director at the Sidney Borum Jr. Health Program, a health center for LGBTQ+ and disadvantaged young people. That's what you want for any child, [transgender] or [cisgender].Gender-affirming hormones are generally safe for adolescents, Vetters adds. When such hormones do raise the risk of a condition, that increase is typically to the risk level associated with a given sex, he says. When people assigned male at birth take estrogen through a skin patch, for example, their blood clot risk increases from the typical male level to the typical female one.The safety of gender-affirming hormone therapy for trans youth is backed up by the fact that, for decades, these hormones have been prescribed to cisgender youth with hypogonadism, a condition in which the gonads dont properly release sex hormones. Negative things are not happening to these youth, Vetters says.A common argument against gender-affirming care is that its offered too readily to young people, including those who havent reached a developmental stage appropriate for certain types of care, and that they might later regret transitioning. But a recent four-year study led by Corman suggested that gender-affirming hormone use is rare among adolescents and that it isnt being prescribed to anyone younger than age 12. Another recent study found that only 0.5 percent of trans adolescents who start hormones later stop because they reidentify with the gender they were assigned at birth.Another hesitation with hormones is that they may impair future fertility. Vetters says recent research suggests that testosterone may not permanently impair fertility, and at least some transgender men have been to get pregnant after stopping hormone therapy, though the effects are still unclear. The extent to which estrogen impairs sperm production, and to which its effects are reversible, isnt as well researched, though Vetters says it does have some permanent effects. There are, however, options for fertility preservation, including sperm and egg cryopreservation (for those who have already undergone puberty) or testicular and ovarian tissue cryopreservation.The bottom line, Corman says, is that gender-affirming hormone treatment is working: Its being prescribed as clinically necessary. So theres really no need to ban this type of care.

February 25, 20257 min readStand Up for Science Rallies Will Protest Trump Attacks on ResearchAmid President Donald Trumps attacks on government scientists and science funding, researchers are arranging rallies to Stand Up for Science in Washington, D.C., and nationwide on March 7By Meghan Bartels edited by Dean VisserMarch for Science rally in Lafayette, Indiana, on April 22, 2017. Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty ImagesAmong the slew of actions that President Donald Trump has taken during his first weeks back in office has been a barrage of attacks on federal scientists and scientific funding. The administrations science agencies have fired thousands of employees, attempted to freeze research disbursements and proposed new policies that would reduce funding into the future.Against this backdrop, a team of early-career researchers is organizing nationwide rallies on March 7 to Stand Up for Sciencea call for people across the U.S. to demonstrate to show their appreciation of science and its benefits to society. Rallies will take place in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Seattle, Nashville, Tenn., Austin, Tex., and many other places across the country. The network of stationary rallies is set to take place eight years after the March for Science protests that met Trumps first administrationwhich Stand Up for Sciences organizers hope helped prepare scientists to wade into politics.To learn about Stand Up for Sciences plans and goals, Scientific American talked with three of its lead organizers: Colette Delawalla, a Ph.D. candidate in clinical psychology at Emory University, Emma Courtney, a Ph.D. candidate in biology at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, and Sam Goldstein, a Ph.D. candidate in health behavior at the University of Florida.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.[An edited transcript of the interview follows.]How did each of you come to this place of wanting to step into activism?DELAWALLA: I was just really mad. At the end of the day, I just want to do my research. I really think that studying addiction is important, and all science is important. But it really hit home for me, personally. I was angry, and it just seemed like everybody else was angry, too, and nobody else was doing anything about it. And, you know, be the change you want to see in the world, as cheesy as that is.Are you connected at all to the 2017 March for Science?DELAWALLA: Nobody in our core leadership team overlaps with people who were in the March for Science core leadership team. But we have been in contact with a number of the organizers from that group, and they seem to be really supportive and kind and generous with their advice and time and connections. And were so grateful.We really appreciate that they were so ahead of their time in understanding that what was coming down the pipe in 2017 was really serious. They laid the groundwork for people to have a working conception of what it means for scientists and people who believe in science to come together. Without that foundation, I dont know that we would have had as much success.GOLDSTEIN: It feels sort of like a passing of the batonwe probably wouldnt have known where to really start.COURTNEY: What I have found really impactful in talking with the March for Science organizers is the event, day of, is really important. But its also about building a sustained movement that actually drives policy change.Were trying to give folks somewhere they can feel powerful and have their voices heard.What does a successful day on March 7 look like for you?DELAWALLA: We want thousands and thousands of people to come. All over the U.S., we want people to put down their science, put down the pipette, close their R script, cancel their run-throughs of their experiments that day and come out. That is our number one goal for March 7.Additionally, we want this to come up on the publics and our government representatives radar. We do have plans to be meeting elected officials in Washington, D.C., in the week leading up to the rally. The goal is that we start off with a bang. This is sort of the science block party to really launch the demands into public view and to start the work on seeing them met.GOLDSTEIN: It feels like this is only the beginning of the conversation. This is really just, across America, giving folks that maybe feel a lot of despair across this first month an outlet to feel heard and understood and comforted by like-minded individuals. Despair can sometimes breed apathy. The more it hits you, the more you doomscroll, the more you just feel powerless. Were trying to give folks somewhere they can feel powerful and have their voices heard.DELAWALLA: The other thing is that we are trying to get a good plan for what happens on March 8. What are the actions that were going to take? What are actionable steps were going to present to scientists and the lay public in America to help us get closer to meeting our demands?There are people who believe that science is supposed to be apolitical. How do you respond to that? Did you ever have that mindset?DELAWALLA: I study addiction, so Ive never experienced science in a nonpolitical way. That said, I believe that science is political but not partisan. We are not drawing partisan lines here. Were happy to explicitly say that the executive orders that have been signed into action are negatively affecting science very, very broadly. Historically speaking, science has had support from both sides of the aisle. People in all areas understand that scientific progress in America is a crown jewel of our progress as a country. And so, for me, it is inherently political. It is not partisan, though, and I think that thats a key nuance.COURTNEY: The way that were taught science is really meant to minimize the role of opinion and bias in data collection. But I think that is kind of the limit to which science is not political.Politics defines who can be a scientist. Politics defines which grants get funded and what gets attention. Science and politics are really incredibly intertwined. The modern science enterprise was born after World War II because it kind of created an American edge on the global order. And I think thats something that scientists have removed themselves from in some ways.More than 500 people picketed in Seattle during the Hands Off Our Healthcare, Research and Jobs rally on February 19, 2025.James Anderson/Alamy Live NewsAs earlier-career researchers, do you have concerns about how people in the field might respond to you now that youre taking a step that some of them wouldnt take or wouldnt believe was appropriate?DELAWALLA: Weve been fortunate in just the sheer amount of support that weve received publicly and also behind the scenes. At the same time, of course, this is a career risk: were early career scientists, and were attaching our names and faces to this movement, and that is inherently risky. We waited for somebody to stand up. We waited for people to employ their tenure, to employ their safety, to lead this movement.Frankly, I dont know that theres going to be a job market if we dont take some pretty extreme action. This is a five-alarm fire. I want to have a job as a career scientistresearch is my passion, and I want to do it as a career. If we dont take a minute to pause our science and to stand up for what we believe in and try to push for policy change, thats not going to be there. It feels really important at our stage to make sure that were doing what we can to make sure that we can be scientists.GOLDSTEIN: We just so happen to have enough passion, rage and commitment to do it. If this is a career risk, ultimatelyand maybe this is a privileged positionbut if this somehow derails my career, then maybe this isnt where I was meant to be. Id rather have it derail my career and let it open the doors for others to have the career they want than not do anything.I think theres too much to lose if you dont do anything right now.COURTNEY: Early-career scientists are in a really unique position at the moment because were facing almost the biggest threat to our future careers. And were not tied to a leadership position, an institution or federal grants that are at risk of, like, being pulled.I think theres too much to lose if you dont do anything right now.What sort of response are you getting, both from other scientists and from nonscientists?DELAWALLA: Within science, a very, very, very strong positive response. We have been so pleasantly surprised with how far and wide this information has spread. I think we still have a lot of ground to make in terms of getting support from nonscientists and the lay public. Were really working on that as our focus over the next two weeks.GOLDSTEIN: I would say science is the common thread that links all of these various issues that seem like attacks against democracy. Even though we have a pretty specific platform, it still speaks to a lot of people that maybe have seen innovation and ideas and freedom seeming to be attacked under this. Its broader than just science, but science is the common thread through a lot of these things.On your website, you lay out ambitious policy goals: secure and expand scientific funding, end censorship and political interference in science and defend diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in science.DELAWALLA: We would just like to acknowledge that these may feel like really big asks, given the current climate, and at the same time, no, theyre not. Theyre not. We firmly believe that scientific funding is critical to American advancement. So were not coming to the bargaining table asking for just what we had before because we actually needed more funding before all this started in the first place. Our intention is to be bold.COURTNEY: Theres a lot of rhetoric around inefficiencies within the American science enterprise right now. And I dont really want to give those any weight. Investing in science has a very high return to the American economy. We advocate for science because its a personal thing that we believe is good. But its also a really good economic investment.How can people get involved?DELAWALLA: The best way you can get involved is to spread the word. We have the press release and printable flyers available. Tell all of your LISTSERVs, tell all of your friends and family, post it on your social media, send the press release to your department. That is the easiest and most effective way that you can help.Make a plan to come out; plan your signs; make it a fun lab event. And if you want to get more involved, go check out our website.COURTNEY: We also really want to put out options for people who cant make an event on March 7 to also engage in advocacy, so well be posting resources online for that.Any final thoughts?GOLDSTEIN: Were excited to see folks come out, and we hope people show up for Stand Up for Science.COURTNEY: I think, a lot of times, people who dont know a scientist kind of think its secretive work that goes on far away that they cant really relate to. But science is here for you and to serve you and to benefit your community. And scientists are just people that are your neighbors and friends and coworkers.