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2025 was a year of turmoil for many scientists — particularly in the United States, where job cuts and budget slashing have left many reeling. But it was also a year of promising advances in fields from gene therapy to quantum computing.

In the U.S., executive orders by President Donald Trump led to the loss of thousands of jobs in government agencies, including NASA, which oversees space exploration, and NOAA, which runs the National Weather Service, among other vital activities. Thousands of health-related research grants — especially those with any perceived link to diversity, equity and inclusion — were canceled or withheld. And Harvard and other universities saw billions of dollars held back, at least temporarily.

Trump’s budget proposal for 2026 (the U.S. budget had not been finalized as Knowable Magazine went to press) features huge cuts to science funding, including slicing the budget for the National Science Foundation, the main granting agency for basic science research, in half. And cuts that have already been made spell bad news for global efforts to quash diseases and keep climate change in check.

Amid all the bad news, there have also been lives saved, technologies advanced and some very weird science conducted. Here are some of the things that captured Knowable’s attention in 2025.

Vaccine hits and misses

Public health faced big challenges this year. “There have been enormous changes in 2025, really driven by the current [U.S.] administration and their attitude towards both foreign aid and domestic vaccine policy,” says epidemiologist William Moss at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and coauthor of an Annual Review of Public Health article on global vaccinations. The U.S. withdrew from the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2025, for example, and said it would pull funding from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

Experts are worried that increasing gaps in vaccination coverage will contribute to further outbreaks of infectious diseases previously thought to be under control. This year, for example, measles surged in North America: Canada lost its “measles elimination” status in November, with cases much higher than anything seen in decades, and the U.S. may follow in 2026. Whooping cough is also on the rise.

Over the past 50 years, immunization has saved an estimated 154 million lives globally. Maintaining that is proving hard. The 2020 pandemic caused disruptions to vaccination campaigns, and many have not yet recovered to p

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Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition that affects millions of people of all ages. While there is no cure, modern asthma medications make it possible for most people to control symptoms, prevent flare ups, and live active lives. With so many asthma treatment options available, it can be difficult to understand how different medications work and which ones may be right for you. SaveHealth, a prescription discount/savings card website, shares the basics.

Understanding asthma medication

Asthma causes inflammation and narrowing of the airways, making it harder to breathe. Symptoms may include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. These symptoms can vary in severity and frequency.

Asthma medications are generally used to:

1. Reduce airway inflammation.
2. Relax airway muscles to improve airflow.
3. Provide quick relief during flare ups.
4. Maintain and prevent asthma attacks.
5. Improve overall quality of life.

Doctors usually recommend a combination of long-term control medications and quick relief medications.

Types of asthma medications

Asthma medications are grouped by how they work and how they are used.

Main categories include:

1. Inhaled corticosteroids for long term control.
2. Combination inhalers that include corticosteroids and bronchodilators (long-acting beta-agonists (LABA) and long-acting muscarinic agents (LAMA).
3. Leukotriene modifiers taken orally.
4. Biologic therapies for severe asthma.
5. Rescue inhalers and newer quick relief options.

Understanding these categories makes it easier to compare asthma medication options.

7 asthma medication categories and key prescriptions

Below is a listicle style overview of major asthma medication types, along with commonly prescribed drugs in each group.

1. Inhaled corticosteroids
Inhaled corticosteroids are the cornerstone of long-term asthma control. They reduce airway inflammation and prevent symptoms when used daily.

Common inhaled corticosteroids include:

Savehealth.com can help people save money on asthma medications like Flovent, Pulmicort, and Qvar RediHaler.

2. Combination inhalers

Combination inhalers contain both an inhaled corticosteroid and a long acting bronchodilator. They provide inflammation control and airway relaxation in one device.

Common combination inhalers include:

• Dulera (Mometasone furoate + Formoterol fumarate).
• Symbicort (Budesonide + Formoterol fumarate)
• Advair (Fluticasone propionate + Salmeterol)
• Airsupra (Albuterol + Budesonide), a newer option that combines quick relief

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Many people experience the invisible weight of remembering everything that needs to get done to keep life running smoothly. It’s called the mental load, and it can include juggling work deadlines, everyday chores, making appointments, remembering birthdays and everything in between. It’s a lot, and it can take a serious toll on your well-being.

The good news is there’s a simple system that can help clear some headspace and lighten that load. Inspired by productivity expert David Allen’s Getting Things Done method, this system offers a practical way to stay organized, focus on what matters and keep your mind calm and clear. LifeStance Health shares how to create your own.

What is mental load?

Mental load is the invisible labor of keeping track of everything that needs to happen in your life and your household. It’s the constant mental juggling act of remembering who needs what, when things are due, what’s running low and what’s coming next.

Anyone can experience mental load, but research shows it often falls heavily on women and caregivers. Over time, that constant background stress may lead to exhaustion, irritability and even burnout. Understanding what mental load is—and acknowledging it—is often the first step toward managing it.

What is a mental load checklist?

A mental load checklist is a simple tool that may help you get everything out of your head and into a reliable system. Instead of trying to remember every little thing, you capture, sort and prioritize your responsibilities in one place.

This process turns that invisible list in your mind into something tangible you may manage and track.

Sample mental load checklist

Here’s an example of what your mental load checklist might look like. You may create your own digital or printable mental load checklist using these categories or personalize it to your needs.

Daily tasks

• Respond to work emails
• Prep meals or snacks
• Check calendar for appointments

Household tasks

• Grocery run
• Laundry
• Schedule car maintenance

Family and relationships

• Plan family dinner
• Send birthday card
• Coordinate school drop-offs

Self-care

• Meditation or a workout
• Journal
• Set bedtime reminder

How to deal with mental load?

Step 1: Create an inbox system

If a task or idea isn’t written down, it’s likely you’ll forget about it, and it won’t get done. That’s why having an inbox system to jot down every task, thought, idea or reminder as you go about your day is absolutely essential for keeping your mental load light.

Your inbox can be anything. Digital task management apps that sync across devices, notebooks, or even a physical bo

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In a new survey conducted by UPrinting, a U.S.-based online custom printing service, business owners revealed a complex relationship with artificial intelligence. While many see opportunity in AI’s potential, others are grappling with the challenges it creates, from lost revenue and eroded trust to hard questions about authenticity and accountability.

As AI reshapes the small business landscape, entrepreneurs are learning to adapt, stay competitive, and use automation without losing the human touch that defines their work.

Key Findings:

• 25% of business owners have lost business in the last year because customers used AI tools instead of paying for their service.
• 65.5% of business owners worry that AI will make their business feel less personal or authentic to customers.
• 54% of small business owners making $150,000+ say AI could help most right now in customer support.
• 20% of Gen Z business owners are very worried about AI-driven misinformation affecting their customers or their brand.
• 50% of senior managers refuse to hand over hiring or performance decisions to AI.
• 46% of small business owners said AI could help their business most right now in marketing content.

When AI Becomes the Competition: 1 in 4 Business Owners Report Losing Clients to DIY Tech

UPrinting

According to a UPrinting study, 25% of business owners reported that they had lost business over the past year as customers turned to AI tools instead of paying for their services.

The same DIY mindset that once fueled YouTube tutorials is now powered by AI. Instead of searching for how to design a logo, consumers are typing “generate me a logo” into an AI prompt box. These tools deliver near-instant results, and that convenience often outweighs the value of expertise.

Rather than seeing AI as a threat, many entrepreneurs are responding with creativity and resilience. They’re emphasizing the expertise, judgment, and human connection that machines can’t replicate and, in many cases, integrating AI into their own processes to stay competitive.

This disruption is also an opportunity for innovation, as business owners learn how to coexist with the same technology that’s reshaping their industries.

Balancing Tech and Trust: Business Owners Aim to Keep AI Human

Read more

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As the new year approaches, think about 2026 like one big game of chess.

In any chess match, you’re not just looking at where the pieces on the board are currently. You are trying to envision where they will be a few moves from now, to help you make better decisions.

The same goes for your finances. If you know what the chessboard is going to look like next year — whether we’re talking about inflation, or credit scores, or interest rates, or housing prices — then you can be more thoughtful about plotting your next move.

“By 2026, the U.S. economy is expected to look more stable and predictable,” says Constantine Tsantes, a planner with VLP Financial Advisors in Vienna, Va. “Overall growth is expected to be steady, not booming. For consumers, that means focusing on stronger credit, planning major borrowing carefully, and taking advantage of a more balanced financial environment.”

To be honest, macroeconomic data tends to make anyone’s eyes glaze over. But the reality is that the data impacts us all at a deeply personal level: what interest we’ll be getting on our savings, how much inflation will be driving up our costs, or whether the housing market is favoring buyers or sellers.

That in mind, Current shares insights about what the economic landscape may look like in 2026.

Inflation: This is a figure that’s top-of-mind for most consumers, since we encounter it frequently at the grocery store. Current inflation projections for 2026’s first quarter are 3.0%, according to the Survey of Professional Forecasters compiled by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. That’s up significantly from the previous estimate of 2.6%, indicating that higher prices are proving pretty stubborn.

The good news is that inflation is expected to moderate by the end of 2026, down to 2.6%. One way to cope with this trend is to ensure that your cash savings are, at the very least, outpacing these inflation numbers. You’ll want to look for a savings account that offers a high-yield, such as 4% APY or above.

Credit scores: Recent data shows that FICO scores dropped to an average of 715 in 2025, down a couple of points from the previous year. That’s the second year in a row of declines, after many years of credit scores ticking up.

One reason for that is student loans, since payments are now being reported again to agencies after years of pandemic-related pauses. With household budgets squeezed, credit scores could continue to face pressures in 2026. In fact, the American consumer is looking pretty “fragile,” according to recent comments from JPMorgan Chase’s head of consumer banking, M