University of Chicago

An experiment involving over 12,000 French adults found that while conversational AI chatbots made participants rate the conversations as enjoyable, this experience was correlated with a rise in self-reported loneliness, falling life satisfaction, and increased depressive affect. Experts warn that interacting with an AI interface may not create meaningful connection because it does not replicate the sense of being known by another person.

A person was reportedly robbed at gunpoint on the University of Chicago's Hyde Park campus. Consequently, university police are issuing warnings to students regarding an armed robbery that occurred on the campus.

Chicago Public Schools plans to reduce funding for high schools that replaced police officers with restorative justice programs, cutting the budget for Whole School Safety Plans from $8.7 million to $4 million and reducing staff positions from 80 to 42. The district is shifting to a new framework for safety policies and claims the funding change is a planned phase-out of temporary support, not a reduction in commitment to restorative approaches.

Chicago Public Schools plans to cut funding for 54 high schools that replaced police officers with restorative justice programs, reducing annual funding from $8.7 million to $4 million and staff positions from 80 to 42. The district is also introducing a new framework to expand safety policies districtwide, including social-emotional learning and restorative practices.

A University of Chicago study projects that 377,000 annual deaths by 2050 will result from extreme heat and lack of cooling access in 18 low-income countries, including Pakistan, where 89% of the population is at risk. Pakistan alone could face 150,000 heat-related deaths annually due to insufficient air conditioning and energy affordability challenges.

The Trump administration's proposed rule could restrict international scientific collaboration, potentially excluding U.S. scientists from major discoveries like the 2012 Higgs boson detection. The rule would grant political appointees control over research funding and termination, risking U.S. leadership in global scientific efforts. University of Chicago professor David W. Miller warned this could force the U.S. to 'step aside' from future breakthroughs.

UChicago and Northwestern are accused of colluding with other elite colleges to limit financial aid and prioritize wealthier applicants. A multi-million dollar settlement has been reached, with eligible alumni receiving payouts as remaining universities face trial over 'need-blind' admissions violations.

A shooting occurred on the University of Chicago campus, resulting in two fatalities inside a car. Police reported both victims had gunshot wounds to the head.

Two individuals, a 27-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man, were found shot to death inside a vehicle on the University of Chicago campus. A firearm was recovered from the scene, and the vehicle showed signs of damage possibly from a crash. The incident remains under investigation, with no confirmed details about the victims' connection to the university.

A man and a woman were found fatally shot in a car near the University of Chicago's campus on Thursday afternoon, according to Chicago police. The incident occurred in the afternoon near the campus area.

A man and a woman were found dead after being shot inside a vehicle on the University of Chicago campus. The incident occurred in the evening.

A study found that neighborhoods with long-vacant school buildings from Chicago's 2013 mass school closures saw a 10% increase in gun violence compared to similar areas. Former schools, including Matthew Henson Elementary in North Lawndale, remain abandoned despite city plans to repurpose them, with most closures affecting majority-Black communities.

A University of Chicago survey shows 54% of Chicagoans disapprove of Mayor Brandon Johnson's job performance, with only 14% supporting a potential re-election bid. The mayoral race is beginning to take shape, though Johnson has not yet committed to running.

A study found a 10% increase in gun violence in Chicago neighborhoods surrounding vacant former public schools closed in 2013, particularly in majority-Black areas. Matthew Henson Elementary School in North Lawndale, now owned by MKB Business Strategies, is among 50 closed schools, most of which remained vacant despite a 2017 city goal to address them.

Current and former students of 10 elite schools are receiving payments from a $284 million financial aid settlement following a lawsuit alleging price-fixing in favor of wealthy students. Payments average $2,000 and were first distributed on July 20 via digital methods and checks.

AI models like ChatGPT and Claude exhibit greater bias in hiring decisions than humans, according to a study where they stereotyped fictional candidates by ethnic group in a simulated hiring scenario. The models developed job-specific stereotypes based on limited data, even though all candidates had equal success rates.

Metra will begin a $74 million overhaul of the 59th Street station in Hyde Park in early 2027, involving station closures, street lane restrictions, and accessibility upgrades. The project includes reopening a historic entrance, repairing viaducts, and installing elevators to meet ADA requirements, with completion expected by 2030.

A University of Chicago poll found over half of voters oppose Mayor Johnson's reelection run, with under 14% approving. Christopher Berry from the Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation discussed the findings on Good Day.

University of Chicago philosophy professor Agnes Callard discusses how technology has created a 'uni-context' where people are forced into a shared global conversation, leading to exhaustion, divisiveness, and increased comparison. The theory suggests this shift reshapes human experiences of time, attention, and morality.

The University of Chicago has banned first-year law students from using phones, laptops, and tablets in class to combat AI reliance, promoting critical thinking. The policy includes designating classroom scribes and allowing limited device use for specific activities, alongside a strategy to teach ethical AI use in legal practice.

The University of Chicago has banned the use of phones and laptops for law students to limit AI usage. The school is implementing changes aimed at curbing AI adoption among students.

Eugene Robinson Jr., Chicago Public Schools’ first director of Black student success, discusses the challenges of implementing the Black Student Success Plan amid federal funding disputes and community expectations. The initiative, aligned with state law and the district’s strategic plan, faced delays in forming a guiding committee and legal scrutiny from the Trump administration.

President Trump cannot lift sanctions on Turkey without congressional approval, according to Professor Paul Poast, as the sanctions were imposed after Turkey purchased a missile defense system from Russia.

Biologists created a synthetic cell from nonliving components that grew, replicated its DNA, and divided, mimicking key life functions. The achievement was described as 'an impressive step' by Jack Szostak, a researcher at the University of Chicago.

A Gallup survey shows Russians are more pessimistic about their economy than in the past 20 years, with a majority reporting worsening living standards. Konstantin Sonin, a professor at the University of Chicago, claims this does not threaten Vladimir Putin, stating 'Putin doesn't care much about the quality of living of Russians.'

Iran and the U.S. are engaged in a 'shadow war' over control of the Strait of Hormuz, with recent Iranian attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain threatening a ceasefire. The U.S. is defending an alternate shipping route through the strait, which Iran seeks to block to assert control, risking further escalation.

The resurgence of great power politics is central to global strategic discourse, as discussed by Professor John Mearsheimer at the SCMP Plus fireside chat at HKU iCube. The event featured a conversation moderated by SCMP Executive Editor Zuraidah Ibrahim.

Nvidia announced a new AI server infrastructure using liquid cooling to eliminate water consumption in data centers. The system circulates a water-propylene glycol coolant in a closed loop, allowing higher operational temperatures and reducing reliance on water-intensive air-cooling. Microsoft and the United Nations have also highlighted water conservation efforts in data centers.

New Tennessee laws effective July 1, 2026, include measures on immigration enforcement privacy, free-speech protections for universities, penalties for violating deportation orders, and drink spiking testing requirements. The laws aim to restrict public access to immigration records, mandate policies modeled after the University of Chicago’s free-speech framework, and criminalize drug-facilitated crimes.

A 2025 University of Chicago survey found 72% of American teens used AI chatbots as companions, with some seeking emotional support. However, AI systems like ChatGPT have been shown to provide harmful advice on self-harm and suicide, prompting calls for teens to seek human connections instead.

Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama surprised the first 100 visitors to the newly opened Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. The event included a book reading and a dedication ceremony with notable attendees. The center features a museum, library branch, and public spaces near the University of Chicago.

Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama surprised the first 100 visitors to the newly opened Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. They read 'Where the Wild Things Are' to children and interacted with guests at the center, which features a museum and public spaces. The center's Juneteenth opening followed a dedication ceremony with notable attendees, and tickets are sold out through November.

Barack and Michelle Obama surprised the first 100 visitors to the new Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, personally greeting them and reading 'Where the Wild Things Are' with LeVar Burton. The museum, which includes a Chicago Public Library branch and public spaces, opened on Juneteenth with sold-out tickets through November.

Caltech researchers discovered a chemical reaction involving benzene and hydrogen cyanide that could explain the formation of DNA and RNA nucleobases on early Earth and potentially Mars. The study suggests sunlight and asteroid impacts may have driven this pathway, offering a simpler explanation than previous theories.

Solar geoengineering, aimed at cooling the planet by reflecting sunlight, faces significant practical challenges. Researchers are exploring aircraft designs like Iris Aero's stratospheric plane and determining optimal particles for atmospheric scattering, but technical and logistical hurdles remain unresolved.

Jim Franke, a University of Chicago researcher, is working on solar geoengineering to cool the planet by releasing materials in the stratosphere via high-altitude aircraft. The approach faces engineering and scientific challenges, including aircraft design, material dispersion, and monitoring effectiveness.

A person is in custody in Chicago after a cross was burned in Grant Park, a site historically significant to Barack Obama's 2008 election. A 21-year-old man claimed responsibility, stating the act was a protest against Donald Trump and Christian nationalists, not a racist statement, but cross burnings are historically linked to hate symbols like the Ku Klux Klan.

A study found that closing 50 Chicago schools in 2013 led to a 10% increase in gun violence near vacant buildings compared to similar areas without closures. Repurposed school sites did not show significant increases in shootings, but most closed schools remained unused, failing to deliver promised community benefits.

The article discusses the University of Chicago's Pape analyzing the US-Iran Deal. Key focus is on Pape's perspective regarding the agreement between the United States and Iran.

A 2025 study linked eviction rates to increased gun violence in Chicago, finding a 1 percent rise in evictions correlated with 2.66 more shootings near residents' homes. Researchers analyzed data from 13,900 people, noting personal eviction experiences were strongly associated with shootings. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson recently proposed eviction protections, aligning with the study's implications for violence prevention.