Trump's proposed 2026 NASA budget cuts will cede our space 'position of leadership to other nations', top scientists say
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Call it an SOSS message – a Save Our Solar System planetary science community communiqué. It is unquestionably a "wait-a-minute" concern running through the space science research groups.
Given the considerable uncertainty about the future NASA Science budget given projected Trump Administration funding considerations, the chairs of analysis/assessment groups (AGs), linked to the space agency's Planetary Science Division, issued a statement on May 12 titled "To members of the planetary science community."
The letter explains that by abandoning our most ambitious efforts, such as Mars Sample Return, which already have substantial investment, "will cede this position of leadership to other nations, such as China." Lastly, the communiqué concludes that science at NASA deserves "full-throated support from our community and the public."
The statement has been stirred up by the President's top-level recommendations on discretionary funding levels for fiscal year (FY) 2026, or so-called "skinny budget." The term skinny budget means that the document contains brief descriptions of programs and recommended financial reductions or increases. Still to come is the "Full Monty" of budget specificity that's expected shortly.
That skinny budget was released on May 2 and noted major cuts to NASA's Science Mission Directorate budget, such as cancelling the top Decadal priority flagship mission, Mars Sample Return.
"The extent of the proposed cuts to, or cancellation of, missions and programs, including research and analysis, will not be known until the full budget is released," the AG chairs' statement observes. "That budget will make its way through Congress, where changes of unknown magnitude are likely to be made and we won't know the final FY26 budget for some time to come."
As reiterated in the statement, the positive impact of science at NASA and crucial role it plays in broad societal terms include:
Exploration and research in planetary science enables us to better understand the history of the solar system, as well as our planet and origins;
Deep space exploration is a tremendous source of innovation in science and technology having applications well beyond space science research, including in the commercial sector, where over 60 years of investment and development have placed the US at the forefront of research and technological advancements in general;
Planetary and space science research has served as an inspiration for generations of present and future scientists and engineers. NASA's science and exploration contribute to our national posture, where US leadership in planetary science is a source of geopolitical soft power;
NASA's spaceflight missions and associated scientific research are thoughtfully developed and carefully prioritized, being guided by reports from the independent National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine; these reports are written by top scientists and engineers and represent the consensus view of their respective communities as to the activities that will be of greatest value to science and the American taxpayer over decadal timespans;
Science at NASA engages some of the brightest minds of the nation to develop solutions to problems of human survival and growth based on fact-based inquiry and analysis – although life and civilization are robust, the geologic record shows the Earth's and the Solar System's history of catastrophe and global change, from extinction-level impacts to solar storms to ice ages and hot-houses and science enables us to understand these better; and
At the broadest level, science everywhere represents fundamental human curiosity, helping us to understand the world around us and develop innovative solutions to problems, enabling us to become more productive, and make informed decisions about societal concerns.
In closing, the statement signed by AG officials reminds the reader of an observation of noted space scientist, Carl Sagan:
"Cutting off fundamental, curiosity-driven science is like eating the seed corn," Sagan advised. "We may have a little more to eat next winter but what will we plant so we and our children will have enough to get through the winters to come?"
For their part, the AG chairs are working diligently to represent the PSD community in this time of change, "but we encourage you to make your voice heard, and the more voices, the more powerful the impact will be."
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Associated Press
35 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Dupixent® (dupilumab) Data at Revolutionizing Atopic Dermatitis (RAD) Conference Reinforce Use in Atopic Dermatitis Patients with Skin of Color
Atopic dermatitis is a chronic disease that disproportionately impacts communities of color Dupixent achieved 75% or greater improvement in overall disease severity, the primary endpoint, in more than three-quarters of treated patients Patients experienced substantial reductions in hyperpigmentation, dry skin and itch from baseline Results support commitment to enhance clinical understanding of chronic diseases in communities of color TARRYTOWN, N.Y. and PARIS, June 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) and Sanofi today presented results from the DISCOVER Phase 4, single-arm, open-label trial assessing Dupixent® (dupilumab) in adults and adolescents with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis with skin of color. These are the first clinical trial results for Dupixent in a large population of patients with darker skin tones. The results, along with the Dupixent Phase 3 trials, demonstrated patients taking Dupixent experienced improvements in signs and symptoms of atopic dermatitis from baseline across many skin tones. The data were shared in an oral presentation at the 2025 Revolutionizing Atopic Dermatitis (RAD) Conference. 'Atopic dermatitis, a chronic disease with underlying type 2 inflammation, has a high prevalence and quality of life impact on patients with skin of color. Unique clinical features like darker patches of hyperpigmentation versus redness typically seen on lighter skin may lead to less accurate diagnoses and underestimation of disease severity,' said Andrew Alexis, M.D., M.P.H., Professor of Clinical Dermatology at Weill Cornell Medicine. 'The results from the DISCOVER trial showed that Dupixent patients with atopic dermatitis and darker skin not only experienced reduced disease severity and itch but also saw improvements in areas of particular concern including dyspigmentation and dry skin. These data deepen the clinical understanding of atopic dermatitis within this underserved population, including use of newly validated scales.' In the trial, 120 patients with atopic dermatitis and skin of color (82% Black, 11% Asian, 2% American Indian/Alaska Native, 5% Arab, Central American or other) were treated with Dupixent every two weeks using a weight-based dosing regimen. At 24 weeks: The safety results in the DISCOVER trial were generally consistent with the known safety profile of Dupixent in its approved dermatological indications. The overall rate of adverse events (AEs; n=124) in the DISCOVER trial was 42%, with the most common (≥2%) AEs being headache (3%), upper respiratory tract infection (2%), eczema (2%), conjunctivitis (3%) and allergic conjunctivitis (2%). About Atopic Dermatitis in Skin of Color Atopic dermatitis is a chronic skin disease with underlying type 2 inflammation that causes intense, persistent itch and skin lesions that cover much of the body, resulting in skin dryness, cracking, pain, crusting and oozing. In patients with skin of color, the type and location of the lesions can vary, and they are more likely to have hardened skin lesions and severe skin dryness, itch, dyspigmentation and greater disease severity than those with lighter skin. Additionally, redness that is observed on lighter skin typically appears as darkened, grey or violet on darker skin tones. Because the disease presents differently in people with skin of color, it can be misdiagnosed or the severity underestimated, which can contribute to higher levels of healthcare resource utilization. About the DISCOVER Clinical Trial The DISCOVER Phase 4 open-label, single-arm trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of Dupixent in adults and adolescents aged 12 years and older with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis and skin of color, as defined by Fitzpatrick skin types IV-VI (those with high melanin; light brown to black). During the 24-week treatment period, all patients in the trial received Dupixent monotherapy every two weeks based on weight after a loading dose: patients weighing ≥30 to <60 kg received 200 mg and patients weighing ≥60 kg received 300 mg. The primary endpoint assessed the proportion of patients who achieved at least 75% improvement on the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI-75) at 24 weeks. Secondary endpoints included the proportion of patients who achieved ≥4-point improvement on the Peak-Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale (PP-NRS) at 24 weeks. Additional endpoints included pigmentary changes on the clinician-reported Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation Severity Scale (PHSS; scale: 0-8) and skin dryness on the newly developed patient-reported Xerosis NRS (X-AD; scale: 0-10) at 24 weeks. About Dupixent Dupixent, which was invented using Regeneron's proprietary VelocImmune® technology, is a fully human monoclonal antibody that inhibits the signaling of the interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-13 (IL-13) pathways and is not an immunosuppressant. The Dupixent development program has shown significant clinical benefit and a decrease in type 2 inflammation in Phase 3 trials, establishing that IL-4 and IL-13 are two of the key and central drivers of the type 2 inflammation that plays a major role in multiple related and often co-morbid diseases. Dupixent has received regulatory approvals in more than 60 countries in one or more indications including certain patients with atopic dermatitis, asthma, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), prurigo nodularis, chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in different age populations. More than 1,000,000 patients are being treated with Dupixent globally.1 About Regeneron's VelocImmune Technology Regeneron's VelocImmune technology utilizes a proprietary genetically engineered mouse platform endowed with a genetically humanized immune system to produce optimized fully human antibodies. When Regeneron's co-Founder, President and Chief Scientific Officer George D. Yancopoulos was a graduate student with his mentor Frederick W. Alt in 1985, they were the first to envision making such a genetically humanized mouse, and Regeneron has spent decades inventing and developing VelocImmune and related VelociSuite ® technologies. Dr. Yancopoulos and his team have used VelocImmune technology to create a substantial proportion of all original, FDA-approved fully human monoclonal antibodies. This includes Dupixent® (dupilumab), Libtayo® (cemiplimab-rwlc), Praluent® (alirocumab), Kevzara® (sarilumab), Evkeeza® (evinacumab-dgnb), Inmazeb® (atoltivimab, maftivimab and odesivimab-ebgn) and Veopoz® (pozelimab-bbfg). In addition, REGEN-COV® (casirivimab and imdevimab) had been authorized by the FDA during the COVID-19 pandemic until 2024. Dupilumab Development Program Dupilumab is being jointly developed by Regeneron and Sanofi under a global collaboration agreement. To date, dupilumab has been studied across more than 60 clinical trials involving more than 10,000 patients with various chronic diseases driven in part by type 2 inflammation. In addition to the currently approved indications, Regeneron and Sanofi are studying dupilumab in a broad range of diseases driven by type 2 inflammation or other allergic processes in Phase 3 trials, including chronic pruritus of unknown origin, bullous pemphigoid, and lichen simplex chronicus. These potential uses of dupilumab are currently under clinical investigation, and the safety and efficacy in these conditions have not been fully evaluated by any regulatory authority. U.S. INDICATIONS DUPIXENT is a prescription medicine used: DUPIXENT is not used to relieve sudden breathing problems and will not replace an inhaled rescue medicine. DUPIXENT is not used to treat any other forms of hives (urticaria). IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION Do not use if you are allergic to dupilumab or to any of the ingredients in DUPIXENT®. Before using DUPIXENT, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you: Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your healthcare provider if you are taking oral, topical, or inhaled corticosteroid medicines; have asthma and use an asthma medicine; or have atopic dermatitis, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, eosinophilic esophagitis, prurigo nodularis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or chronic spontaneous urticaria, and also have asthma. Do not change or stop your other medicines, including corticosteroid medicine or other asthma medicine, without talking to your healthcare provider. This may cause other symptoms that were controlled by those medicines to come back. DUPIXENT can cause serious side effects, including: The most common side effects include: Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. These are not all the possible side effects of DUPIXENT. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit or call 1-800-FDA-1088. Use DUPIXENT exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider. It's an injection given under the skin (subcutaneous injection). Your healthcare provider will decide if you or your caregiver can inject DUPIXENT. Do not try to prepare and inject DUPIXENT until you or your caregiver have been trained by your healthcare provider. In children 12 years of age and older, it's recommended DUPIXENT be administered by or under supervision of an adult. In children 6 months to less than 12 years of age, DUPIXENT should be given by a caregiver. Please see accompanying full Prescribing Information including Patient Information. About Regeneron Regeneron (NASDAQ: REGN) is a leading biotechnology company that invents, develops and commercializes life-transforming medicines for people with serious diseases. Founded and led by physician-scientists, our unique ability to repeatedly and consistently translate science into medicine has led to numerous approved treatments and product candidates in development, most of which were homegrown in our laboratories. Our medicines and pipeline are designed to help patients with eye diseases, allergic and inflammatory diseases, cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, neurological diseases, hematologic conditions, infectious diseases, and rare diseases. Regeneron pushes the boundaries of scientific discovery and accelerates drug development using our proprietary technologies, such as VelociSuite, which produces optimized fully human antibodies and new classes of bispecific antibodies. We are shaping the next frontier of medicine with data-powered insights from the Regeneron Genetics Center® and pioneering genetic medicine platforms, enabling us to identify innovative targets and complementary approaches to potentially treat or cure diseases. For more information, please visit or follow Regeneron on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook or X. About Sanofi Sanofi is an R&D driven, AI-powered biopharma company committed to improving people's lives and delivering compelling growth. We apply our deep understanding of the immune system to invent medicines and vaccines that treat and protect millions of people around the world, with an innovative pipeline that could benefit millions more. Our team is guided by one purpose: we chase the miracles of science to improve people's lives; this inspires us to drive progress and deliver positive impact for our people and the communities we serve, by addressing the most urgent healthcare, environmental, and societal challenges of our time. Sanofi is listed on EURONEXT: SAN and NASDAQ: SNY. Regeneron Forward-Looking Statements and Use of Digital Media This press release includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties relating to future events and the future performance of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ('Regeneron' or the 'Company'), and actual events or results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Words such as 'anticipate,' 'expect,' 'intend,' 'plan,' 'believe,' 'seek,' 'estimate,' variations of such words, and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These statements concern, and these risks and uncertainties include, among others, the nature, timing, and possible success and therapeutic applications of products marketed or otherwise commercialized by Regeneron and/or its collaborators or licensees (collectively, 'Regeneron's Products') and product candidates being developed by Regeneron and/or its collaborators or licensees (collectively, 'Regeneron's Product Candidates') and research and clinical programs now underway or planned, including without limitation Dupixent®(dupilumab); uncertainty of the utilization, market acceptance, and commercial success of Regeneron's Products and Regeneron's Product Candidates and the impact of studies (whether conducted by Regeneron or others and whether mandated or voluntary), including the studies discussed or referenced in this press release, on any of the foregoing; the likelihood, timing, and scope of possible regulatory approval and commercial launch of Regeneron's Product Candidates and new indications for Regeneron's Products, such as Dupixent for the treatment of chronic pruritus of unknown origin, bullous pemphigoid, lichen simplex chronicus, and other potential indications; the ability of Regeneron's collaborators, licensees, suppliers, or other third parties (as applicable) to perform manufacturing, filling, finishing, packaging, labeling, distribution, and other steps related to Regeneron's Products and Regeneron's Product Candidates; the ability of Regeneron to manage supply chains for multiple products and product candidates and risks associated with tariffs and other trade restrictions; safety issues resulting from the administration of Regeneron's Products (such as Dupixent) and Regeneron's Product Candidates in patients, including serious complications or side effects in connection with the use of Regeneron's Products and Regeneron's Product Candidates in clinical trials; determinations by regulatory and administrative governmental authorities which may delay or restrict Regeneron's ability to continue to develop or commercialize Regeneron's Products and Regeneron's Product Candidates; ongoing regulatory obligations and oversight impacting Regeneron's Products, research and clinical programs, and business, including those relating to patient privacy; the availability and extent of reimbursement or copay assistance for Regeneron's Products from third-party payors and other third parties, including private payor healthcare and insurance programs, health maintenance organizations, pharmacy benefit management companies, and government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid; coverage and reimbursement determinations by such payors and other third parties and new policies and procedures adopted by such payors and other third parties; changes in laws, regulations, and policies affecting the healthcare industry; competing drugs and product candidates that may be superior to, or more cost effective than, Regeneron's Products and Regeneron's Product Candidates (including biosimilar versions of Regeneron's Products); the extent to which the results from the research and development programs conducted by Regeneron and/or its collaborators or licensees may be replicated in other studies and/or lead to advancement of product candidates to clinical trials, therapeutic applications, or regulatory approval; unanticipated expenses; the costs of developing, producing, and selling products; the ability of Regeneron to meet any of its financial projections or guidance and changes to the assumptions underlying those projections or guidance; the potential for any license, collaboration, or supply agreement, including Regeneron's agreements with Sanofi and Bayer (or their respective affiliated companies, as applicable), to be cancelled or terminated; the impact of public health outbreaks, epidemics, or pandemics on Regeneron's business; and risks associated with litigation and other proceedings and government investigations relating to the Company and/or its operations (including the pending civil proceedings initiated or joined by the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts), risks associated with intellectual property of other parties and pending or future litigation relating thereto (including without limitation the patent litigation and other related proceedings relating to EYLEA®(aflibercept) Injection), the ultimate outcome of any such proceedings and investigations, and the impact any of the foregoing may have on Regeneron's business, prospects, operating results, and financial condition. A more complete description of these and other material risks can be found in Regeneron's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and its Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2025. Any forward-looking statements are made based on management's current beliefs and judgment, and the reader is cautioned not to rely on any forward-looking statements made by Regeneron. Regeneron does not undertake any obligation to update (publicly or otherwise) any forward-looking statement, including without limitation any financial projection or guidance, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Regeneron uses its media and investor relations website and social media outlets to publish important information about the Company, including information that may be deemed material to investors. Financial and other information about Regeneron is routinely posted and is accessible on Regeneron's media and investor relations website ( and its LinkedIn page ( Sanofi Disclaimers or Forward-Looking Statements This media update contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements include projections and estimates regarding the marketing and other potential of the product, or regarding potential future revenues from the product. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words 'expects', 'anticipates', 'believes', 'intends', 'estimates', 'plans', and similar expressions. Although Sanofi's management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Sanofi, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include among other things, unexpected regulatory actions or delays, or government regulation generally, that could affect the availability or commercial potential of the product, the fact that product may not be commercially successful, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including future clinical data and analysis of existing clinical data relating to the product, including post marketing, unexpected safety, quality or manufacturing issues, competition in general, risks associated with intellectual property and any related future litigation and the ultimate outcome of such litigation, and volatile economic and market conditions, and the impact that global crises may have on us, our customers, suppliers, vendors, and other business partners, and the financial condition of any one of them, as well as on our employees and on the global economy as a whole. The risks and uncertainties also include the uncertainties discussed or identified in the public filings with the SEC and the AMF made by Sanofi, including those listed under 'Risk Factors' and 'Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements' in Sanofi's annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024. Other than as required by applicable law, Sanofi does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements. All trademarks mentioned in this press release are the property of the Sanofi group except for VelociSuite and Regeneron Genetics Center . 1 Data on File
Forbes
2 hours ago
- Forbes
The Ardent Belief That Artificial General Intelligence Will Bring Us Infinite Einsteins
In today's column, I examine an AI conjecture known as the infinite Einsteins. The deal is this. By attaining artificial general intelligence (AGI) and artificial superintelligence (ASI), the resulting AI will allegedly provide us with an infinite number of AI-based Einsteins. We could then have Einstein-level intelligence massively available 24/7. The possibilities seem incredible and enormously uplifting. Let's talk about it. This analysis of an innovative AI breakthrough is part of my ongoing Forbes column coverage on the latest in AI, including identifying and explaining various impactful AI complexities (see the link here). There is a great deal of research going on to further advance AI. The general goal is to either reach artificial general intelligence (AGI) or maybe even the outstretched possibility of achieving artificial superintelligence (ASI). AGI is AI that is considered on par with human intellect and can seemingly match our intelligence. ASI is AI that has gone beyond human intellect and would be superior in many if not all feasible ways. The idea is that ASI would be able to run circles around humans by outthinking us at every turn. For more details on the nature of AI, AGI, and ASI, see my analysis at the link here. AI insiders are pretty much divided into two major camps right now about the impacts of reaching AGI or ASI. One camp consists of the AI doomers. They are predicting that AGI or ASI will seek to wipe out humanity. Some refer to this as 'P(doom),' which means the probability of doom, or that AI zonks us entirely, also known as the existential risk of AI. The other camp entails the so-called AI accelerationists. They tend to contend that advanced AI, namely AGI or ASI, is going to solve humanity's problems. Cure cancer, yes indeed. Overcome world hunger, absolutely. We will see immense economic gains, liberating people from the drudgery of daily toils. AI will work hand-in-hand with humans. This benevolent AI is not going to usurp humanity. AI of this kind will be the last invention humans have ever made, but that's good in the sense that AI will invent things we never could have envisioned. No one can say for sure which camp is right and which one is wrong. This is yet another polarizing aspect of our contemporary times. For my in-depth analysis of the two camps, see the link here. Let's momentarily put aside the attainment of ASI and focus solely on the potential achievement of AGI, just for the sake of this discussion. No worries -- I'll bring ASI back into the big picture in the concluding remarks. Imagine that we can arrive at AGI. Since AGI is going to be on par with human intelligence, and since Einstein was a human and made use of his human intelligence, the logical conclusion is that AGI would be able to exhibit the intelligence of the likes of Einstein. The AGI isn't especially simulating Einstein per se. Instead, the belief is that AGI would contain the equivalent of Einstein-level intelligence. If AGI can exhibit the intelligence of Einstein, the next logical assumption is that this Einstein-like capacity could be replicated within the AGI. We already know that even contemporary generative AI allows for the simulation of multiple personas, see my analysis at the link here. With sufficient hardware, the number of personas can be in the millions and billions, see my coverage at the link here. In short, we could have a vast number of Einstein-like intelligence instances running at the same time. You can quibble that this is not the same as saying that the number of Einsteins would be infinite. It would not be an infinite count. There would be some limits involved. Nonetheless, the infinite Einsteins as a catchphrase rolls off the tongue and sounds better than saying the millions or billions of Einsteins. We'll let the use of the word 'infinite' slide in this case and agree that it means a quite large number of instances. Einstein was known for his brilliance when it comes to physics. I brought this up because it is noteworthy that he wasn't known for expertise in biology, medicine, law, or other domains. When someone refers to Einstein, they are essentially emphasizing his expertise in physics, not in other realms. Would an AGI that provides infinite Einsteins then be considered to have heightened expertise solely in physics? To clarify, that would certainly be an amazing aspect. No doubt about it. On the other hand, those infinite Einsteins would presumably have little to offer in other realms such as biology, medicine, etc. Just trying to establish the likely boundaries involved. Imagine this disconcerting scenario. We have infinite Einsteins via AGI. People assume that those Einsteins are brilliant in all domains. The AGI via this capacity stipulates a seeming breakthrough in medicine. But the reality is that this is beyond the purview of the infinite Einsteins and turns out to be incorrect. We might be so enamored with the infinite Einsteins that we fall into the mental trap that anything the AGI emits via that capacity is aboveboard and completely meritorious. Some people are more generalized about the word 'Einstein' and tend to suggest it means being ingenious on an all-around basis. For them, the infinite Einsteins consist of innumerable AI-based geniuses of all kinds. How AGI would model this capacity is debatable. We don't yet know how AGI will work. An open question is whether other forms of intelligence such as emotional intelligence (EQ) get wrapped in the infinite Einsteins. Are we strictly considering book knowledge and straight-ahead intelligence, or shall we toss in all manner of intelligence including the kitchen sink? There is no debate about the clear fact that Einstein made mistakes and was not perfect. He was unsure at times of his theories and proposals. He made mistakes and had to correct his work. Historical reviews point out that he at first rejected quantum mechanics and vowed that God does not play dice, a diss against the budding field of quantum theory. A seemingly big miss. Would AGI that allows for infinite Einsteins be equally flawed in those Einsteins as per the imperfections of the modeled human? This is an important point. Envision that we are making use of AGI and the infinite Einsteins to explore new frontiers in physics. Will we know if those Einsteins are making mistakes? Perhaps they opt to reject ideas that are worthy of pursuit. It seems doubtful that we would seek to pursue those rejected ideas simply due to the powerful assumption that all those Einsteins can't be wrong. Further compounding the issue would be the matter of AI hallucinations. You've undoubtedly heard or read about so-called AI hallucinations. The precept is that sometimes AI generates confabulations, false statements that appear to be true. A troubling facet is that we aren't yet sure when this occurs, nor how to prevent it, and ferreting out AI hallucinations can be problematic (see my extensive explanation at the link here). There is a double-whammy about those infinite Einsteins. By themselves, they presumably would at times make mistakes and be imperfect. They also would be subject to AI hallucinations. The danger is that we would be relying on the aura of those infinite Einsteins as though they are perfect and unquestionably right. Would all the AGI-devised infinite Einsteins be in utter agreement with each other? You might claim that the infinite Einsteins would of necessity be of a like mind and ergo would all agree with each other. They lean in the same direction. Anything they say would be an expression of the collective wisdom of the infinite Einsteins. The downside there is that if the infinite Einsteins are acting like lemmings, this seems to increase the chances of any mistakes being given an overabundance of confidence. Think of it this way. The infinite Einsteins tell us in unison that there's a hidden particle at the core of all physics. Any human trying to disagree is facing quite a gauntlet since an infinite set of Einsteins has made a firm declaration. A healthy principle of science is supposed to be the use of scientific discourse and debate. Would those infinite Einsteins be dogmatic or be willing to engage in open-ended human debates and inquiries? Let's consider that maybe the infinite Einsteins would not be in utter agreement with each other. Perhaps they would among themselves engage in scientific debate. This might be preferred since it could lead to creative ideas and thinking outside the box. The dilemma is what do we do when the infinite Einsteins tell us they cannot agree? Do we have them vote and based on a tally decide that whatever is stated seems to be majority-favored? How might the intellectual battle amid infinite Einsteins be suitably settled? A belief that there will be infinite Einsteins ought to open our eyes to the possibility that there would also be infinite Issac Newton's, Aristotle's, and so on. There isn't any particular reason to restrict AGI to just Einsteins. Things might seem to get out of hand. All these infinite geniuses become mired in disagreements across the board. Who are we to believe? Maybe the Einsteins are convinced by some other personas that up is down and down is up. Endless arguments could consume tons of precious computing cycles. We must also acknowledge that evil doers of historical note could also be part of the infinite series. There could be infinite Genghis Khan's, Joseph Stalin's, and the like. Might they undercut the infinite Einsteins? Efforts to try and ensure that AI aligns with contemporary human values is a vital consideration and numerous pathways are currently being explored, see my discussion at the link here. The hope is that we can stave off the infinite evildoers within AGI. Einstein had grave concerns about the use of atomic weapons. It was his handiwork that aided in the development of the atomic bomb. He found himself mired in concern at what he had helped bring to fruition. An AGI with infinite Einsteins might discover the most wonderful of new inventions. The odds are that those discoveries could be used for the good of humankind or to harm humankind. It is a quandary whether we want those infinite Einsteins widely and in an unfettered way to share what they uncover. Here's the deal. Would we restrict access to the infinite Einsteins so that evildoers could not use the capacity to devise destructive possibilities? That's a lot harder to say than it is to put into implementation. For my coverage of the challenges facing AI safety and security, see the link here. Governments would certainly jockey to use the infinite Einsteins for purposes of gaining geo-political power. A nation that wanted to get on the map as a superpower could readily launch into the top sphere by having the infinite Einsteins provide them with a discovery that they alone would be aware of and exploit. The national and international ramifications would be of great consequence, see my discussion at the link here. I promised at the start of this discussion to eventually bring artificial superintelligence into the matter at hand. The reason that ASI deserves a carve-out is that anything we have to say about ASI is purely blue sky. AGI is at least based on exhibiting intelligence of the kind that we already know and see. True ASI is something that extends beyond our mental reach since it is superintelligence. Let's assume that ASI would not only imbue infinite Einsteins, but it would also go far beyond Einstein-level thinking to super Einstein thresholds. With AGI we might have a solid chance of controlling the infinite Einsteins. Maybe. In the case of ASI, all bets are off. The ASI would be able to run circles around us. Whatever the ASI decides to do with the infinite super Einsteins is likely beyond our control. Congrats, you've now been introduced to the infinite Einsteins conjecture. Let's end for now with a famous quote from Einstein. Einstein made this remark: 'Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the universe.' This highlights whether we could suitably harness an AGI containing infinite Einsteins depends upon human acumen and human stupidity. Hopefully, our better half prevails.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Museum in Seymour opens new wing with annual festival
SEYMOUR (KFDX/KJTL)— The Whiteside Museum of Natural History is celebrating the opening of a new museum expansion through their annual Permian Fest. This year's Permian Fest kicked off with the grand opening of the museum's new wing, which doubles the size of the original building. So, while families and prehistory enthusiasts could come and check out guest lectures and shop outside the museum, the views inside the building's new wing were another sight to behold. While Permian Fest is usually a big driver for fundraising on its own, the new wing is generating a lot of enthusiasm for the museum's future from the guests and museum staff, like assistant director Holly Simon. 'Locals here don't get to experience going to big museums, and our museum was definitely very popular with the local community,' Simon said. 'But now that we have a giant Ceratosaurus skeleton and a big mammoth skeleton, it's really cool that we get to bring that big city museum experience to the locals.' The expansion adds a total of 9,000 square feet to the museum's footprint, and the new space allows for reorganizations of old exhibits and the expansion of others. The new Bakker Dinosaur Hall and the Sundell Mammal Hall are two such examples. The fossil preparation lab also got a major expansion. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
