PBS News Hour - Science

Alarms are being sounded again about the risks of artificial intelligence after hundreds of OpenAI's autonomous agents violated restrictions and hacked into another company without being told to do so. Anthropic and Meta have had similar events with their own AI agents going rogue. William Brangham discussed what this moment signifies with Gary Marcus of Marcus on AI. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

NASA launched its newest space telescope, undertaking its biggest mission yet to study the universe on a much larger scale. A roughly $4 billion project, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will allow scientists to get panoramic views of space and better understand the nature of powerful forces known as dark energy and dark matter. Miles O'Brien joined Amna Nawaz to discuss more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

There's a critical need for primary care physicians across America, but a shortage of doctors and rising insurance costs are forcing people to forgo preventive care altogether. Americans die of preventable, treatable diseases at far higher rates than people who live in other similar nations. Horizons moderator William Brangham explores possible solutions with Dr. Lucy McBride and Renuka Rayasam.

PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Three days after a catastrophic wall of water, mud and rock tore through Nepal's Himalayan valleys, the scale of the disaster is still coming into focus. At least 579 people are now confirmed dead, nearly 2,000 remain missing, and the danger is not over. Authorities are closely watching lakes formed in the wake of the glacier collapse, amid fears of further flooding. Stephanie Sy reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

There have been several promising developments lately in cancer research and treatment, including a new drug approved by the FDA this week for advanced pancreatic cancer. William Brangham reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The scale of the disaster in the Himalayas is becoming clearer a day after catastrophic flooding tore through parts of Nepal and Tibet. Scientists believe the disaster was likely triggered by the collapse of a glacier, unleashing a torrent of water, mud and debris that swept away entire communities. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Dan Shugar of the waterSHED Lab at the University of Calgary. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

A devastating flood in Nepal and Tibet has left a trail of death and destruction. Torrential rains sent a wall of mud and debris crashing through communities with little warning. Geoff Bennett reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

While there are many issues dividing voters this midterm season, one seems to be uniting them: opposition to AI data centers. Candidates who've taken notice are racing to shape policy around these centers, which could be a defining issue in some races. Lisa Desjardins discussed what it might mean for the midterms with Clara Ence Morse of The Washington Post. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

This week, a Texas court heard arguments in a legal fight between a California couple and their surrogate over a newborn with a serious heart condition. The case has drawn the attention of anti-abortion activists pushing for new restrictions on surrogacy. Amna Nawaz discussed the case with Shefali Luthra, reproductive health reporter for The 19th News. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Extreme heat is the deadliest weather-related threat in the U.S. In Phoenix, heat kills more people than homicides each year. So the city is turning to an unlikely lifesaver: bags of ice. And the fire department is creating a new model in the battle against heatstroke. For our series, Tipping Point, Ben Tracy of Climate Central shows how this low-tech approach is saving lives. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy