Health

As Trump Targets Researchers, Europe Makes a Pitch to Attract Scientists

Published

8 months ago

May 6, 2025

As Trump Targets Researchers, Europe Makes a Pitch to Attract Scientists

As the Trump administration slashes support to research institutions and threatens to freeze federal funding to universities like Harvard and Columbia, European leaders are offering financial help to U.S.-based researchers and hoping to benefit from what they are calling a “gigantic miscalculation.”

“Nobody could imagine a few years ago that one of the great democracies of the world would eliminate research programs on the pretext that the word ‘diversity’ appeared in its program,” President Emmanuel Macron of France said on Monday.

He was speaking at the Sorbonne University in Paris during an event called Choose Europe for Science that was organized by the French government and the European Union.

It was unthinkable, Mr. Macron said, alluding also to the withdrawal of researchers’ visas in the United States, that a nation whose “economy depends so heavily on free science” would “commit such an error.”

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, announced an investment of 500 million euros, or $566 million, at the conference to “make Europe a magnet for researchers” over the next two years.

Although that amount is not much compared to the billions in cuts American universities face, it comes on top of the $105 billion international research program called Horizon Europe that supports scientific breakthroughs, like genome sequencing and mRNA vaccines, Ms. Von der Leyen said.

She did not mention the United States by name, but she described a global environment where “fundamental, free and open research is questioned.”

“What a gigantic miscalculation!” she said.

In Europe, there is a widespread feeling that Mr. Trump has abandoned America’s traditional support for liberty, free speech and democracy through his embrace of autocrats and the assault on science and academia. That has created strains but also a sense of opportunity on the continent, where attracting the best scientific minds to vigorous and independent universities is seen as part of a broader campaign to “rearm” Europe as an independent power.

Over the longer term, the European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, plans to double grants for researchers who relocate and to enshrine freedom of scientific research into a law called the European Research Area Act.

“The first priority is to ensure that science in Europe remains open and free. That is our calling card,” Ms. von der Leyen said.

The Trump administration’s attack on science and threats to universities were the main impetus for the conference, which was attended by government ministers and prominent researchers from across Europe. Increasingly, the United States is seen as a strategic adversary, and opening doors to American researchers and scientists is viewed as a long-term response to that challenge.

Mr. Macron’s message to scientists was this: “If you love freedom, come help us to remain free.”

France announced its own program to lure U.S.-based researchers last month. The government promised universities and research institutions in the country up to 50 percent of the funding needed to lure international researchers, including those working in areas under pressure from the Trump administration like climate studies and low carbon energy. But no particular funding was announced until Monday, when Mr. Macron said his government would commit $113 million to the program.

Alarms in Europe began sounding when the Trump administration slashed jobs and froze science grants at leading American institutions as part of cost-cutting measures. European dismay increased when the U.S. government attacked diversity programs and attempted to dictate to universities “whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue,” in the words of Harvard’s president, Alan M. Garber.

Harvard has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over its $2.2 billion federal funding freeze. Mr. Trump mused last week about ending Harvard’s tax-exempt status.

The U.S. government has also fired staff at U.S. centers deemed to be at the pinnacle of scientific research, including at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Science Foundation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health, the world’s largest funder of biomedical research.

At the same time, some federal agencies have removed words from websites and grant applications that were deemed unacceptable to the Trump administration. Among the terms considered taboo are “climate science,” “diversity” and “gender.”

Taken together, the actions have sent a chill through academia and research institutes, with scientists worried not just for their jobs but the long-term viability of their research.

“In the United States, once a paradise for researchers, academic freedom is being challenged. The line between truth and falsehood, between fact and belief, is being weakened,” Elisabeth Borne, France’s education minister, said Monday as she opened the conference.

Universities in France have been at the forefront of attempts to benefit from a potential American brain drain. Aix Marseille University is interviewing some 300 candidates for its Safe Place for Science program, which it launched in March in response to the Trump administration’s cuts. Since then, many other universities and institutions have followed suit.

“Our self-interest, as well as our values, now command us to be the refuge for knowledge wherever it is under pressure,” said Luis Vassy, the president of Sciences Po University in Paris.

François Hollande, a former French president, has proposed a law to create a “scientific refugee” status for researchers threatened for their work in their countries.

However, some university heads and professors have criticized the initiative. They argue that while France is attempting to draw American researchers, it has also been cutting higher education and research budgets to address the country’s ballooning budget deficit.

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Health

Common household chemicals linked to increased risk of serious neurological condition

Published

4 hours ago

December 23, 2025

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Common household chemicals linked to increased risk of serious neurological condition

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A study from Sweden’s Uppsala University discovered a link between microplastics and multiple sclerosis (MS).

The research, published in the journal Environmental International, discovered that exposure to two common environmental contaminants, PFAS and PCBs, could increase the risk of the autoimmune disease.

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as “forever chemicals,” are used in some common household products, such as non-stick cookware, textiles and cleaning products. They have also been found in drinking water throughout the U.S., according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

COMMON CLEANING CHEMICAL TIED TO SPIKE IN LIVER DISEASE ACROSS US, RESEARCHERS SAY

PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, are toxic industrial chemicals once widely used in electrical equipment before being banned decades ago, as stated by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

The new study findings were based on blood samples of 1,800 Swedish individuals, including about 900 who had recently been diagnosed with MS, according to a university press release.

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as “forever chemicals,” are used in some common household products, including non-stick cookware. (iStock)

The first phase of the trial studied 14 different PFAS contaminants and three substances that appear when PCBs are broken down in the body. These were then investigated for a link to the odds of diagnosis.

‘FOREVER CHEMICALS’ FOUND IN US DRINKING WATER, MAP SHOWS ‘HOT SPOTS’ OF HIGHEST LEVELS

“We saw that several individual substances, such as PFOS and two hydroxylated PCBs, were linked to increased odds for MS,” lead study author Kim Kultima said in a statement. “People with the highest concentrations of PFOS and PCBs had approximately twice the odds of being diagnosed with MS, compared to those with the lowest concentrations.”

The researchers then examined the combined effects of these substances and found that the mixture was also linked to increased risk.

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Fellow researcher Aina Vaivade noted that risk assessments should consider chemical mixtures, not just individual exposures, because people are typically exposed to multiple substances at the same time.

“We saw that several individual substances, such as PFOS and two hydroxylated PCBs, were linked to increased odds for MS,” the lead study author said. (iStock)

The final phase of the study investigated the relationship between inheritance, chemical exposure and the odds of MS diagnosis, revealing that those who carry a certain gene variant actually have a reduced MS risk.

However, individuals who carried the gene and had higher exposure to PFOS — a singular type of chemical in the PFAS family — had an “unexpected” increased risk of MS.

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“This indicates that there is a complex interaction between inheritance and environmental exposure linked to the odds of MS,” Kultima said.

“We therefore think it is important to understand how environmental contaminants interact with hereditary factors, as this can provide new knowledge about the genesis of MS and could also be relevant for other diseases.”

Multiple sclerosis is a disease that leads to the breakdown of the protective covering of the nerves, according to Mayo Clinic. (iStock)

Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel commented on these findings in an interview with Fox News Digital.

“MS is a complex disease that is somewhat autoimmune and somewhat post-inflammatory,” said Siegel, who was not involved in the study. “Epstein-Barr virus infection greatly increases the risk of MS.”

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“There is every reason to believe that environmental triggers play a role, including microplastics, and this important study shows a correlation, but not causation — in other words, it doesn’t prove that the microplastics caused MS.”

The study had some limitations, the researchers acknowledged, including that the chemical exposure was measured only once, at the time of blood sampling. This means it may not accurately represent participants’ long-term or past exposure levels relevant to MS development.

“There is every reason to believe that environmental triggers play a role.”

Fox News Digital reached out to several industry groups and manufacturers requesting comment on the potential link between PFAS chemicals and multiple sclerosis.

Several have issued public statements, including the American Chemistry Council, which states on its website that “manufacturers and many users of today’s PFAS are implementing a variety of practices and technologies to help minimize environmental emissions.”

In April 2024, the EPA enacted a new federal rule that sets mandatory limits on certain PFAS chemicals in drinking water, aiming to reduce exposure. The agency also aims to fund testing and treatment efforts.

A woman working out outdoors takes a sip of water from a plastic bottle. (iStock)

Multiple sclerosis is a disease that leads to the breakdown of the protective coverings that surround nerve fibers, according to Mayo Clinic.

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The immune system’s attack on these nerve sheaths can cause numbness, weakness, trouble walking and moving, vision changes and other symptoms, and can lead to permanent damage.

There is currently no cure for MS, Mayo Clinic reports, but treatment is available to manage symptoms and modify the course of the disease.

Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for Fox News Digital.

Health

Natural Ozempic? 6 GLP-1 Foods That Work Just Like the Shot

Published

15 hours ago

December 22, 2025

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Natural Ozempic? 6 GLP-1 Foods That Work Just Like the Shot

6 GLP-1 Foods That Boost Weight Loss Naturally—No Injections Needed | Woman’s World

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Health

Simple daily habit could help people with type 2 diabetes manage blood sugar

Published

16 hours ago

December 22, 2025

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Simple daily habit could help people with type 2 diabetes manage blood sugar

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Sitting next to a window may help people with type 2 diabetes control their insulin levels, according to new research.

The study, published in Cell Metabolism, found that exposure to natural light — even indoors next to a window — changes how the body processes glucose and uses energy.

People in Western societies spend 80% to 90% of their time under artificial lights, which are much dimmer and less dynamic than sunlight, the researchers noted. Natural daylight is a powerful cue for the body’s internal clock, also known as the circadian rhythm.

EXPERTS REVEAL EXACT BEDTIME THAT COULD PREVENT LATE-NIGHT ‘SECOND WIND’ INSOMNIA

The body’s internal clock influences many processes, including digestion, hormone release and metabolism, according to research. When it gets out of sync, it can worsen insulin resistance and blood sugar control, which are two of the main issues caused by type 2 diabetes.

Typical lighting in homes and offices is much dimmer and lacks the biological signals provided by natural daylight. (iStock)

To test the effects of daylight on blood sugar, scientists recruited 13 adults with type 2 diabetes. Each person spent two separate 4.5-day periods in a controlled office setting, according to a press release.

DIABETES PREVENTION LINKED TO SPECIFIC TYPE OF EXERCISE, STUDY SHOWS

In one period, they worked in front of large windows with natural daylight streaming in. In the other period, participants worked in the same room with the windows covered and were exposed only to typical indoor lighting.

Daylight isn’t a replacement for medication or traditional management strategies like diet and exercise, the researchers noted.

Everyone ate similar meals, followed the same schedule and continued their usual diabetes medications in both conditions.

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While average blood sugar levels didn’t differ drastically between the two conditions, people spent more time in the healthy glucose range when they were exposed to natural daylight — their blood sugar fluctuated less and stayed within a desirable range for a greater portion of the day.

Participants who were exposed to daylight burned more fat and fewer carbohydrates, a metabolic pattern linked to better blood sugar regulation. (iStock)

Exposure to natural light also affected metabolism. In daylight, participants burned more fat and fewer carbohydrates for energy.

Muscle biopsies and laboratory tests further showed that the genes responsible for the body’s cellular clocks were more synchronized under natural light conditions, the study revealed.

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Better alignment of these genes can improve nutrient processing and how cells respond to insulin, the researchers concluded.

Sitting near windows or spending more time outdoors could support diabetes management alongside standard treatments, researchers say. (iStock)

However, daylight isn’t a replacement for medication or traditional management strategies like diet and exercise, according to the team.

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The study did have some limitations, including that the group of patients was small. The researchers cautioned that larger studies are needed to confirm these results and determine how much natural light exposure is optimal.

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“This study also highlights the often unnoticed impact of the built environment on our health, and raises further concerns about the prevalence of office environments with poor (natural) daylight access,” the researchers noted.

Khloe Quill is a lifestyle production assistant with Fox News Digital. She and the lifestyle team cover a range of story topics including food and drink, travel, and health.