DR CAROLINE F HAMILTON

May 25 2026ENVIRONMENT

Birds using trash: A quiet sign of human times

For centuries, birds have been mixing human-made objects into their nests. Cases like anti-bird spikes in Dutch cities or fiber optic cables in war zones show how animals adapt to environments shaped by people. But this isn’t new—ornithologists have noticed artificial materials in nests since the 18

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May 25 2026OPINION

Why a new law could make it harder to buy a healthy puppy

Families love bringing a new dog home. For 30 years, pet stores in Massachusetts have helped about 30, 000 families do exactly that. But a bill now in front of the state Senate wants to stop these stores from selling dogs, cats, or rabbits. The idea behind the bill is to stop so-called “puppy mills,

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May 25 2026WEATHER

Early Morning Fog Alert: Stay Sharp on the Roads

Drivers woke up to a hazy surprise today as patches of fog rolled in, making visibility tricky. Instead of clear views, some areas now have sightlines shortened to just a quarter mile—about the length of two football fields. The fog isn’t sticking around all day; forecasts suggest it’ll lift by late

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May 25 2026EDUCATION

How AI Changed Student Life at Stanford

Four years ago, students arrived at Stanford excited about big ideas and future careers. Now, as they prepare to graduate, artificial intelligence has reshaped their experience in surprising ways. Tech leaders like Jensen Huang became campus celebrities, with students chasing selfies and signed lapt

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May 25 2026POLITICS

How Irish Politics Shifted in a Weekend Vote

Fine Gael, the ruling party in Ireland, and the smaller Social Democrats both gained ground in by-elections over the weekend, while a notorious figure tied to crime barely missed another shot at office. The Social Democrats picked up a seat in Dublin, continuing their rise since the last general ele

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May 25 2026ENVIRONMENT

Extra eyes on a risky chemical tank in California

Fire crews in Orange County got lucky over the weekend when they spotted what looks like a narrow split in the side of a big storage tank holding 7, 000 gallons of methyl methacrylate. That flammable goop is used to make the clear plastic windows you see in airplane canopies and TV screens. The spli

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May 24 2026ENVIRONMENT

Local water wins while federal policy drifts downstream

For most of us, water just flows out of the tap. We assume it’s safe to drink, swim in, or use on our lawns without thinking about where that safety comes from. But beneath the surface, something’s shifting. While Clark County pulls together to safeguard its water, changes at the national level are

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May 24 2026ENTERTAINMENT

How the next Star Wars films might finally get their act together

For years, Star Wars fans have watched different shows and movies float around with no clear way to fit them all together. Imagine trying to solve a puzzle where the pieces keep changing shape—that’s the experience many have had. Now, a new trilogy is in development, and one big difference could cha

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May 24 2026SPORTS

High School Sports on May 23: Check Out the Big Games Near You

Friday offers a packed day of high school sports across Central New York, with championship matchups leading the way. Lax fans should circle 10 a. m. for the boys’ lacrosse quarterfinals—LaFayette/Onondaga Central faces Cazenovia in a clash of teams with surprisingly strong records. Later at noon, R

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May 23 2026EDUCATION

Behind the Scenes: The Struggles of LGBTQ+ Researchers in Southeast Asia

Finding out what LGBTQ+ life is really like in Southeast Asia isn’t easy. Researchers who try often run into problems that most people never see. From Indonesia to Vietnam, these academics face more than just data collection—they deal with social stigma, unclear rules, and sometimes personal danger.

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