Health

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

Published

11 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

Giant golden spiders could spread this summer; experts downplay health risk

Published

2 hours ago

March 28, 2026

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Giant golden spiders could spread this summer; experts downplay health risk

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Large, palm-sized spiders are spinning massive golden webs across porches and power lines, and, according to experts, they’re here to stay.

The Joro spider, which has a leg span up to 4 inches and markings of neon yellow, blue-black and red, was first recorded in Georgia in 2013.

Since its arrival — likely as a hitchhiker on a shipping container or an airplane from Asia, experts say — the arachnid has been steadily marching north.

DOZENS SICKENED AS POTENTIALLY DEADLY FUNGUS SPREADS IN SOUTHERN STATE

The spiders have so far been spotted in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

They are expected to spread throughout eastern North America, at least as far north as Pennsylvania and possibly further in warmer, coastal areas, according to Penn State.

Joro spiders can “fly” by shooting out silk parachutes that carry them on the wind. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

To travel, the spider uses a technique called “ballooning,” in which hatchlings release fine silk threads that catch air currents and carry them over long distances.

Ian Williams, an entomologist with Orkin, said he counted 200 adult spiders by September of last year on his one-acre property near Atlanta.

POPULAR HONEYMOON DESTINATION FACES AVIAN MALARIA THREAT, SPREAD BY MOSQUITOES

“They’re quite intimidating looking spiders, and they make very large webs,” he told Fox News Digital. “The webbing itself, if it catches the sunlight, has a golden hue to it. And it’s very strong.”

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Despite the arachnid’s striking appearance, experts agree that people shouldn’t panic. Research shows the Joro is among the “shyest” spiders ever documented. When disturbed, they often sits motionless for over an hour rather than attacking.

Joro spiders like to spin their webs up high near houses, trees and even power lines, an expert said. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

“While they’re large spiders, they don’t have large fangs. And, so, it’s difficult for them to bite humans,” Williams noted.

Even in the rare event of a nip, the expert said the venom is weak, comparable to a localized bee sting, and carries “no medical importance.”

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As an invasive species, the Joro’s impact is still being weighed by scientists.

“One of the big concerns is that they potentially out-compete native species of spiders,” Williams said.

Physical removal is more efficient than pesticides, according to an expert. (iStock)

A prolific hunter, the Joro spider catches everything from mosquitoes to large, meaty insects like cicadas. It is unclear whether it steals food from native garden spiders.

To prevent Joro spiders from nesting on your porch or property, experts recommend using a broom or long pole to knock the web down.

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“Spiders may get the message, ‘Hey, I’m not going to keep remaking my same web in the same area,’” Williams said.

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Physical removal is more effective than pesticides, which often miss the spiders in their high, open-air webs.

For those who spot a Joro spider in a new area, experts suggest logging the sighting on apps like iNaturalist to help researchers track their northern migration.

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.

Health

Another state bans ‘gas station heroin’ as officials warn of deadly risks

Published

14 hours ago

March 27, 2026

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Another state bans ‘gas station heroin’ as officials warn of deadly risks

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Conversation-starters

→ March Madness sparks surprising surge in men’s sexual procedure

→ Cannabis benefits called into question in major study

→ ‘Call a Boomer’ payphones help cure loneliness across generations

Along a bustling sidewalk in Boston, a bright yellow payphone invites folks to “Call a Boomer.” (Matter Neuroscience)

Food for thought

→ Eating meat tied to lower dementia risk, study suggests

→ Stomach issues might have nothing to do with eating habits

→ Why your sugar cravings won’t go away, even after cutting sweets

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This article was written by Fox News staff.

Health

Dementia risk signals could lie in simple blood pressure readings, researchers say

Published

1 day ago

March 27, 2026

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Dementia risk signals could lie in simple blood pressure readings, researchers say

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Simple measurements taken during routine blood pressure checks could predict dementia risk years before symptoms appear.

That’s according to new research presented this week at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session in Louisiana.

The findings draw on two studies led by researchers at Georgetown University, which suggest that monitoring how blood vessels age and stiffen over time can provide a window into future cognitive health.

LURKING DEMENTIA RISK EXPOSED BY BREAKTHROUGH TEST 25 YEARS BEFORE SYMPTOMS

Data shows rates of dementia and aging-related cognitive decline are expected to increase as populations age, and half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure (hypertension).

Scientists believe that efforts to better address hypertension, a key contributor to heart disease and a risk factor for dementia, could affect both cardiac and brain health.

Data shows rates of dementia and aging-related cognitive decline are expected to increase as populations age. Meanwhile, half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure. (iStock)

“Blood pressure management isn’t just about preventing heart attacks and strokes; it may also be one of the most actionable strategies for preserving cognitive health,” Dr. Newton Nyirenda, the study’s lead author and an epidemiologist at Georgetown University in Washington, said in a press release.

The research focused on two metrics, the pulse pressure-heart rate index and estimated pulse wave velocity. Both were calculated using data collected during standard doctor visits, such as heart rate, age and blood pressure.

“Blood pressure management isn’t just about preventing heart attacks and strokes; it may also be one of the most actionable strategies for preserving cognitive health.”

Researchers examined five years of data patterns for more than 8,500 people in the SPRINT trial, a large study of adults 50 years and older with hypertension. In the follow-up, 323 of the participants developed probable dementia.

HIDDEN BRAIN CONDITION MAY QUADRUPLE DEMENTIA RISK IN OLDER ADULTS, STUDY SUGGESTS

In one study, the team found the pulse pressure-heart rate index was a strong independent predictor of dementia risk in adults over 50. For participants under 65, every one-unit increase was associated with a 76% higher risk of developing dementia.

For participants under 65, an increase in the pulse pressure-heart rate index was associated with a 76% higher risk of developing dementia. (iStock)

The second study found that adults with consistently elevated or rapidly increasing pulse wave velocity were more likely to develop dementia than those with stable velocity, even after accounting for factors like smoking, gender and cardiovascular history.

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“Our findings suggest that vascular aging patterns may provide meaningful insight into future dementia risk,” said Nyirenda. “This reinforces the idea that managing vascular health earlier in life may influence long-term brain health.”

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The team emphasized that clinicians should tailor risk assessments and treatment strategies to the individual.

Further studies are needed to confirm these parameters and determine whether changing vascular aging trajectories reduces dementia risk. (iStock)

“You don’t want to wait until a patient starts manifesting cognitive decline before you act,” said senior study author Sula Mazimba, an associate professor at the University of Virginia.

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Researchers noted the study could not establish causation. Other limitations included the fact that participants already had hypertension and elevated cardiovascular risk, meaning the findings may not apply to people without those conditions.

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Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and to determine whether improving blood vessel health over time could reduce dementia risk.

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.