The 2026 maple season has kicked off in New York. Adam Wild, director of Cornell University’s Uihlein Maple Research Forest and co-director of the Cornell Maple Program, says a long, cold winter sets up ideal conditions for maple sap flow.

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Despite some vocal opposition from Congress to the president’s ordered strikes on Iran, there is little reason to expect Congress will act in checking the president’s authority in this case says Cornell University professor David Bateman.

Law and Policy

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Wellness influencer Casey Means advanced toward confirmation as U.S. surgeon general after a hearing before senators on Wednesday. She faced grilling on her stance on vaccines, past business entanglements and previous criticism of pesticides.

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The Pentagon told Anthropic this week to open its AI technology for unrestricted military use by Friday or risk losing its government contract. The following Cornell University experts are available to discuss rising tensions.

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Douglass Miller, is a senior lecturer in food and beverage management at Cornell University.

Business, Economics & Entrepreneurship

Food & Agriculture

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President Trump announced during his State of the Union speech new agreements with the tech industry to ensure they cover more of the costs of powering new artificial intelligence data centers. It could signal his administration’s willingness to continue development despite the risk of further taxing the electric grid and spiking electricity prices. 

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Meta and AMD have agreed to an AI chips deal worth more than $100 billion. The social media giant could take a financial stake of up to 10 percent in the chip developer. The news underscores the appetite for processors within the AI industry.

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David Silbey, a professor at Cornell University who specializes in military history and defense policy, says what’s notable is the lack of change in the last year.  

Foreign Policy

International

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Lee Adler is an expert on education and academic union issues at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations.

Law, Government & Public Policy

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Mayor Mamdani is expected to decide Monday whether New York City schools will have a second snow day on Tuesday. Kimberly Kopko, expert on child development and parenting, says snow days can give students a chance for fun experiences but can create challenges for working parents and for students who depend on school for structure and meals.

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