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E&E News
8 hours ago
- E&E News
149 science agency staffers sign dissent letter against Trump
Employees at the government's premier science agency are elevating their pushback against the Trump administration. In a letter of dissent, 149 National Science Foundation employees expressed 'deep concern over a series of politically motivated and legally questionable actions by the Administration that threaten the integrity of the NSF.' The letter, sent Monday to House Science, Space and Technology ranking member Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), urges the committee to shield NSF employees 'from politically motivated firings,' release frozen grant dollars and demand more transparency from Trump officials. Advertisement The letter was submitted as a protected whistleblower complaint, and all but one of the signatories had their names censored or signed as an anonymous member. Hiding their identities is a step meant to protect federal workers from retaliation. It is a different approach than used in dissent letters from employee groups at EPA, the National Institutes of Health and NASA. Earlier this month, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin put 139 employees who signed a similar letter of dissent on administrative leave for 10 days. That number has since grown to 160 staffers, and the agency has extended the leave to Aug. 1. 'It's a deep shame that expressing support for NSF's mission and calling attention to how recent actions betray that mission needs to be done in this manner,' Lofgren said. The NSF dissent letter was organized by members of the American Federation of Government Employees, the largest federal employee union. Members of Local 3403, the union branch that represents NSF and other federal researchers and scientists, signed the letter. NSF has already lost approximately one-third of what once was an 1,800-person workforce, said Jesus Soriano, president of AFGE Local 3403. That number includes departures through voluntary 'early-out' programs and the 168 probationary staffers and experts fired in February. Last month, NSF staffers were surprised with less than 24 hours notice that they would be evicted from their current headquarters to let Housing and Urban Development employees move in. It is still not clear where NSF will be relocated. Lofgren during a press conference Tuesday pledged to defend NSF against President Donald Trump's attacks. But she said in a brief interview with POLITICO's E&E News she's not confident the letter will influence Trump administration policies. 'This administration does not care about science,' Lofgren said. Reach reporter Ellie Borst on Signal at eborst.64
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
AI Takes Gold at Math's Toughest Test
Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) says its latest Gemini Deep Think model read the official IMO problems in plain English and wrote out full proofs in just four and a half hours. It scored 35 out of 42 pointsthe first time any AI has hit gold?medal level at the Olympiad. Not to be outdone, OpenAI quietly posted on X that its experimental reasoning model matched that feat. Three former IMO medalists checked the proofs and unanimously gave it the same 35?point score, all under the same no?internet, no?tools conditions. Google plans to share the model with a few trusted mathematicians before rolling it out to subscribers. OpenAI calls its gold?level system purely experimental and won't release anything this powerful for several months. ADVERTISEMENT This is a big deal because it shows AI can handle real, structured problem solving. We might soon see AI helping students learn advanced math, researchers verify proofs in a flash, or even new kinds of math competitions where humans and machines go head to head. This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
Fox News
13 hours ago
- Fox News
Coldplay Kiss Cam triggers 'formal investigation' into Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and HR head Kristin Cabot
A Coldplay concert Kiss Cam is causing major heat at a rising tech firm. Astronomer CEO Andy Byron is now under "formal investigation" by his board after allegedly being caught on the jumbotron with the company's HR chief, Kristin Cabot, at a recent Coldplay show—an eyebrow-raising moment that quickly exploded online. An Astronomer PR representative shared an official leadership update with Fox News Digital on Friday night. "Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy is currently serving as interim CEO given Andy Byron has been placed on leave. We will share more details as appropriate in the coming days," the statement said. The tech firm Astronomer posted a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, about the controversial matter. "Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability," the company shared. COLDPLAY'S CHRIS MARTIN CALLS OUT COUPLE ON KISS CAM, SPARKING AFFAIR ACCUSATIONS "The Board of Directors has initiated a formal investigation into this matter and we will have additional details to share very shortly." The company emphasized that no other employees appeared in the video, and confirmed that Alyssa Stoddard, the Senior Director of People at Astronomer, was not present at the concert. Fans speculated that the embarrassed woman spotted beside Byron and Cabot was their co-worker Stoddard. When reached for comment, the company directed Fox News Digital to their statement on social media. The Coldplay concert Kiss Cam turned into viral chaos after frontman Chris Martin joked that a couple on screen were "either having an affair or just very shy." The pair, who online sleuths quickly claimed were Astronomer CEO Byron and his Chief People Officer Cabot, sparked a firestorm of speculation and mockery across social media. Within hours, an apology statement, allegedly issued by Astronomer CEO Byron, went viral. However, it turned out to be a fake. "I want to acknowledge the moment that's been circulating online, and the disappointment it's caused," the fake statement read in part. "What was supposed to be a night of music and joy turned into a deeply personal mistake playing out on a very public stage. I want to sincerely apologize to my wife, my family, and the team at Astronomer. You deserve better from me as a partner, as a father, and as a leader." The hoax statement continued, "This is not who I want to be or how I want to represent the company I helped build. I'm taking time to reflect, to take accountability, and to figure out the next steps, personally and professionally, I ask for privacy as I navigate that process." "I also want to express how troubling it is that what should have been a private moment became public without my consent. I respect artists and entertainers, but I hope we can all think more deeply about the impact of turning someone else's life into a spectacle." The fake statement concluded with Coldplay's song lyrics to "Fix You," "Lights will guide you home, and ignite your bones, and I will try to fix you." Astronomer shut down the false apology and said it was "not a real statement," according to the recent statement by the tech firm. A fake Coldplay account additionally posted that the band would be making changes to their performances after the viral Kiss Cam moment between the two alleged Astronomer execs. "Starting with our next show, we're introducing camera-free audience sections for people and their sidepieces," the post read. Reps for Byron, Cabot and Coldplay did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. WATCH: COLDPLAY'S CHRIS MARTIN CATCHES COUPLE ON KISS CAM, JOKINGLY ASKS IF THEY'RE HAVING AN AFFAIR While the two statements were deemed to be a hoax, the internet can't get enough of the awkward moment. Fans were quick to react on Coldplay's official Instagram account about the viral moment. "Show #207, Boston," the caption read with photo highlights from the concert, not including the Kiss Cam moment. "Coldplay released 'two' new singles that night," one fan quipped. LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS Another comment read, "Did Karma have to pay for her ticket?" "You forgot the best photo of the whole tour," a fan wrote. Other comments read, "I always wanted to be part of a jumbotron at your concert, but then I realized that not all of the people feel the same way." MYSTERY COUPLE MISTAKEN FOR JEFF BEZOS AND LAUREN SÁNCHEZ AT CANNES During the band's performance at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., on Wednesday, Coldplay's frontman serenaded the crowd with an improv of "The Jumbotron Song" where he sang about couples featured live on the big screen. "Whoa, look at these two," Martin said, as a man and woman were seen cozying up with one another. Once the attention was on the pair, the woman immediately turned away and dodged the camera. The man also exited the frame. "Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy," Martin joked as the audience laughed. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER Once internet sleuths made the claim it was Byron and Cabot, the affair accusations took off. Fox News has confirmed Cabot and her husband filed for divorce in 2018 and court documents appear to show their divorce was finalized in 2022. No divorce records have been found for Byron, who appears to still be married. Byron is the CEO of Astronomer, the cybersecurity startup, and Cabot, according to her LinkedIn, is the company's chief people officer. It seems they have worked closely together for years. Last November, Astronomer posted a press release, as the tech company announced Cabot as the newly appointed Chief People Officer. "Kristin's exceptional leadership and deep expertise in talent management, employee engagement, and scaling people strategies will be critical as we continue our rapid trajectory," Byron wrote of his new employee at the time. "She is a proven leader at multiple growth-stage companies and her passion for fostering diverse, collaborative workplaces makes her a perfect fit for Astronomer." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The press release also included Cabot's statement about her new job: "I prefer to think of my role as people strategy versus traditional human resources, as the real magic happens when you align the people strategy with the business strategy."
