Mike Silver
As seen in:
MSN,
The New York Times,
Phys.org,
Medical Xpress,
Law.com,
American Banker,
Law360,
beehiiv,
EIN News,
Bizcommunity
and
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Mike Silver
New pulse oximeter adapts to skin color
For decades, pulse oximeters have been among medicine's most familiar instruments. Clip one onto a finger, and within seconds it reports how much oxygen is in your blood, a vital indicator of health. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest sci-tech news updates.
Thread-like electronics point to less obtrusive wearable health monitors
Flexible organic eutectogel transistors arranged in a complete thread-based circuit. The free-form circuits can easily conform to body contours to monitor health and movement. Credit: Wenxin Zeng Imagine using a wearable device so thin and discreet that you'd hardly be aware you were wearing it. Now Tufts engineers have created flexible electronics that could do just that.
New Plant Sensors Could Help Farmers Detect Crop Stress Earlier
With new sensors, farmers could use real-time information to manage crop conditions before visible signs of plant stress appear Written by Mike Silver, Tufts University A smartwatch can tell us the level of oxygen in our blood, when our sleep is restless, or the number of steps we take in a day. Now imagine that kind of tracking ability for plants. By the time farmers see curling leaves or stunted growth in their fields, their crops may already have spent days under stress.
Plants Get Wearables to Track Their Health
By Mike Silver A smartwatch can tell us the level of oxygen in our blood, when our sleep is restless, or the number of steps we take in a day. Now imagine that kind of tracking ability for plants. By the time farmers see curling leaves or stunted growth in their fields, their crops may already have spent days under stress.
Wearables to track plant health: Farmers could use real-time information to manage crop conditions
“The leaf sensor is more of an early warning system showing how the plant is responding in the moment, before visible signs appear,” said Nafize Hossain. Credit: Nafize Hossain A smartwatch can tell us the level of oxygen in our blood, when our sleep is restless or the number of steps we take in a day. Now imagine that kind of tracking ability for plants. By the time farmers see curling leaves or stunted growth in their fields, their crops may already have spent days under stress.
Silk sticker is noninvasive way to monitor babies' health
Credit: Courtesy of Silklab In the neonatal intensive care unit, the most fragile patients in medicine are often the most heavily wired. Premature babies, some weighing less than a pound, can be tethered to a tangle of cables, monitors and sensors. Each blood draw to check sugar levels or electrolytes means another needle, another bandage, another moment of stress for an infant whose skin is still forming.
Engineered bacterial spores reveal new protein targets for enzymes and vaccines
"Spore engineering is still an emerging technology," said Nik Nair. "Most products are in the development stage and are not ready for widespread commercial application. We are hopeful that expanding the target list for fusion can speed up this process." Credit: Nik Nair A remarkable quality of bioengineering is that scientists can take biological processes honed by millions of years of evolution and use them to efficiently create drugs, chemicals and other products to improve our lives.
Shell too snug? Hermit crabs have a fix
Credit: CC0 Public Domain For decades, biologists have known that hermit crabs forced to live in shells that are too small slow their growth. What wasn't clear was how they did it. New research suggests the answer isn't simply that the crabs eat less. Instead, they appear to regulate growth by changing how efficiently they use the food they consume.
From silkworm to super material
Researchers fuse silk fibers into high-performance solids that are almost as tough as Kevlar. (Nanowerk News) In a new study co-led by researchers at Tufts University, Imperial College London, and the University of Michigan, scientists have developed a significantly improved way of transforming silk into solid materials—one that preserves and enhances the natural strength of silk fibers.
Scientists Create “Neurobots” – Living Machines With Their Own Nervous Systems
Combined image of all sections through a neurobot, showing multiciliated cells on the surface and neurons in the center. Credit: Haleh Fotowat Neurobots—xenobots with neurons—show self-organized nervous systems and enhanced behaviors, revealing new insights into how biology builds functional structures. Scientists at Tufts and the Wyss Institute have now pushed this work further by introducing nerve cells into these biological machines.
This paint changes colors when hit, revealing location and strength of impact
Applications of PDA-SF paints on different surfaces. Credit: Advanced Science (2026). DOI: 10.1002/advs.202518144 Imagine a paint that changes color depending on how hard its surface is hit. It could be used on football helmets to monitor concussion-level impacts, to record the handling history of shipped packages, or placed on insoles to analyze an orthopedic patient's gait. The paint is the latest innovation coming from the Tufts University Silklab, led by Fiorenzo Omenetto, Frank C.
Neuro-symbolic AI could slash energy use while dramatically improving performance
Credit: AI-generated image Power usage by AI and data center systems in the U.S. is extraordinary by any measure. The International Energy Agency estimates U.S. AI and data centers used about 415 terawatt hours of power in 2024—more than 10% of that year's nationwide energy output—and it's expected to double by 2030.
A healthier sugar substitute: Engineered bacteria yield a sweet solution
Credit: Cell Reports Physical Science (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrp.2025.102993 From saccharin in the 19th century to stevia and monk fruit in the 21st, researchers and the food industry have long sought a sweetener that delivers the taste of sugar without its drawbacks—excess calories, tooth decay, and heightened risk for obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes.
Empowering Pharmacists to Prevent Opioid-Related Harm
"I will consider the welfare of humanity and the relief of suffering my primary concerns." I first recited these words 17 years ago at Purdue University, proudly donning my white coat as I was welcomed into the pharmacy profession. To say I’ve taken that oath seriously would be an understatement. My father, a pharmacist himself, instilled in me a deep commitment to patient care and responsible medication management.
AI tool to better comprehend how autistic individuals communicate and perceive the world through language
People with autism have brains that are wired differently. This can make them especially strong in some areassuch as noticing patterns, remembering details, or thinking logicallywhile making other things like social cues or changes in routine more challenging. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest sci-tech news updates.
Silver & Silver Offers Local Presence to Support Philadelphia Residents Injured in Accidents
We’re proud to continue offering compassionate, client-focused representation to those who need it most right here in our region.” — Cynthia J. Silver, Partner at Silver & Silver PHILADELPHIA, PA, UNITED STATES, November 13, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Silver & Silver, a leading Pennsylvania law firm known for its decades of commitment to personal injury and disability law, continues to provide trusted legal support to clients throughout the Philadelphia area.
Silver & Silver Shares Insights on Common SSDI Benefits Challenges in Philadelphia
Every denied claim represents a person waiting for the help they need to survive.” — Josh Davis, a social security attorney at Silver & Silver PHILADELPHIA, PA, UNITED STATES, November 12, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Silver & Silver, a Pennsylvania law firm known for its work on behalf of individuals with disabilities, is sharing new insights into the most common challenges residents face when applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits in Philadelphia.
Silver & Silver Highlights Efforts to Advocate for Philadelphia Accident Victims
Every client deserves to have someone in their corner who will listen, explain, and advocate.” PHILADELPHIA, PA, UNITED STATES, November 12, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Silver & Silver, a respected Pennsylvania law firm known for its longstanding commitment to personal injury and disability law, has announced new initiatives to strengthen its advocacy for individuals injured in auto accidents throughout the Philadelphia region.
Philadelphia SSDI Applicants Receive Enhanced Legal Support from Silver & Silver
Our goal is to make the process less intimidating and more transparent for those who rely on these benefits to live with dignity.” — Kellyanne Inverso, a social security associate at Silver & Silver PHILADELPHIA, PA, UNITED STATES, November 12, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Silver & Silver, a respected law firm serving clients across Pennsylvania, has announced expanded support for individuals seeking Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits in Philadelphia.
Addressing population disparities near the worst Superfund sites
Historically underserved and socially vulnerable communities, including Black, Asian, and other minority populations, are disproportionately exposed to Superfund sites—places where contamination poses significant risks to human health and the environment. Even more are exposed to sites where cleanup efforts are either insufficient, delayed, or in many cases not underway.
Cells have a second DNA repair toolbox for difficult cases
The human genome consists of 3 billion base pairs, and when a cell divides, it takes about seven hours to complete making a copy of its DNA. That's almost 120,000 base pairs per second. At that breakneck speed, one might expect errors to occur, and they do, at a rate of about two per second in every dividing cell. But cells have a "DNA repair kit" of enzymes that can correct those errors at a rate matching that at which they occur.
Cells assembled into Anthrobots become biologically younger than the original cells they were made from
Modern humans have existed for more than 200,000 years, and each new generation has begun with a single cell—dividing, changing shape and function, organizing into tissues, organs, and limbs. With slight variations, the process has repeated billions of times with remarkable fidelity to the same body plan. Researchers at Tufts have been on a quest to understand the code guiding individual cells to create the architecture of a human being, and to create a foundation for regenerative medicine.
Chemists design a next generation of weight-loss drugs
Weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are used by more than 15 million adults in the U.S., or 4.5% of the population. Despite their effectiveness, they have drawbacks. Their effect may not last after discontinuing use, and side effects including osteoporosis and muscle loss have raised concerns about long-term harms. They also induce nausea, which can make it difficult to stay the course of treatment.
Rare earth elements, critical minerals, technology, green energy
CRITICAL MINERALSWhat Rare Earth Elements Are and Why They Matter Published 8 May 2025 Rare 17 earth elements are critical to many industries—used in electric motors, medical imaging and diagnostics, oil and gas refining, and computer and phone screens. These elements have become a hot political issue, says an Earth Sciences professor. Rare earth elements are critical to many industries—used in electric motors, medical imaging and diagnostics, oil and gas refining, and computer and phone screens.
Removal of NCUA Board Members: What it Means for You | JD Supra
After the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term, few areas of government have avoided disruption or controversy, and the regulation of credit unions—normally a quiet corner within the federal bureaucracy—has been no exception.
Open-source software that models soft materials expands engineering solutions
When mechanical and structural engineers design machines, bridges, and buildings, they calculate loads, stresses, and deformation of metal, steel, concrete, glass, wood, and plastic to find the optimal geometry that bears loads with the minimum cost of material. Designs for relatively hard materials that do not deform too much are commonly handled by software that calculates and optimizes structures using mathematical models that are well understood and easily applied.
Packing lipid nanoparticles with tumor proteins to boost cancer vaccine potency
The concept of using vaccines to treat cancers has been around for several decades. A vaccine was first approved for prostate cancer in 2010, and another was approved in 2015 for melanoma. Since then, many therapeutic—as opposed to preventive—cancer vaccines have been in development, but none are approved. One hurdle is the difficulty in finding antigens in tumors that look foreign enough to trigger an immune response.
Soft-jointed swarms tackle tough terrains and tasks
Continue reading More for You
3D-printed robots: Soft-jointed swarms tackle tough terrains and tasks Original
Imagine a swarm of tiny robots, each about the size of the palm of your hand, spreading out over a wildfire-ravaged community, mapping areas contaminated by toxic materials, searching for survivors, identifying areas of rapid wildfire spread. Or picture the robots being used to clear battlefields of mines, conduct search and rescue missions after earthquakes, or deployed on farms to fend against pests and track soil conditions.
Delete the CFPB? No. Refresh it Instead
Mike G. Silver is a partner at Husch Blackwell in their Consumer Financial Services practice who joined the firm one year ago today. He previously served more than 12 years at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). There, Mike played key role in building and growing the agency and drafting numerous rules and guidance, including two Dodd-Frank mortgage rules, the 2017 small-dollar lending rule, and the abusiveness policy statements.
FCC Delays—then Eleventh Circuit Defenestrates—New TCPA Requirements for Prior Express Written Consent | JD Supra
There is nothing quite like the 11th hour. On Monday, January 27, 2025, two new requirements for prior express written consent under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) were set to take effect.
CFPB Reboots Policy Statements for No-Action Letters and Compliance Assistance Sandbox Approvals Days Before Administration Change | JD Supra
On January 10, 2025, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) revived its policy statements on No-Action Letters (NALs) and Compliance Assistance Sandbox (CAS) Approvals. These unexpected changes come just days before President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House and were quietly implemented without public comment or a standalone press release.
Antiviral protein causes genetic changes implicated in Huntington's disease progression
People genetically susceptible to Huntington's disease often see their movement, mood, and cognition decline slowly over time. The cause is related to expansion of repeating DNA units, in which specific strings of genetic code—in this case, a series of cytosine-adenine-guanine nucleotides, or CAG, on one strand of the DNA and cytosine-thymine-guanine, or CTG, on the complementary strand—begin to repeat over and over, expanding to as many as 40 to 120 copies.
Research targets DNA repair vulnerabilities in female reproductive cancers
Each cell in our body experiences up to tens of thousands of DNA-damaging events per day, primarily from routine cellular maintenance or exposure to toxins in our environment. Despite the high frequency of wear-and-tear, cells have efficient repair mechanisms that work tirelessly, allowing our bodies to maintain our DNA in each one of our cells throughout our lifetimes. The breakdown in this ongoing dance of DNA damage and repair is one of the root causes of cancer.
AI is universally bad at knowing when to chime in during a conversation: Researchers discover some of the root causes
When you have a conversation today, notice the natural points when the exchange leaves open the opportunity for the other person to chime in. If their timing is off, they might be taken as overly aggressive, too timid, or just plain awkward. The back-and-forth is the social element to the exchange of information that occurs in a conversation, and while humans do this naturally—with some exceptions—AI language systems are universally bad at it.
The CFPB in 2025: What to Expect Following the Election | JD Supra
Background 2024 has been an eventful year for the CFPB. As we detailed in June, the CFPB survived its second constitutional challenge at the Supreme Court in CFSA v. CFPB, and “[n]ewly emboldened, the CFPB’s already robust policy agenda is only expanding.” Federal agencies often try to “clear the decks” in an election year, but the CFPB’s pace of rulemaking, guidance, and enforcement activity accelerated noticeably since the CFSA decision.
Open Banking Is Here: An Overview of Section 1033 of the Dodd-Frank Act | JD Supra
In a move that has been a long time in the making, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has finalized its comprehensive open banking rule. The rule implements Section 1033 of the Dodd-Frank Act and grants consumers the right to access their financial data and authorize third parties to access that data on their behalf.
High-resolution, nanoscale imaging method could accelerate the discovery of more durable materials
Take a photo with your phone and you might see wonderful details—leaves on a tree, strands of hair blowing in the wind. The width of that strand of hair is 100,000 nanometers wide. The best traditional laboratory microscope that uses light may capture details as small as 200 nanometers—the size of a large virus. The most advanced light microscope might discern features as small as 20–50 nanometers, or about the size of a large protein molecule.
Rams Shopping Cooper Kupp For 2nd Round Pick
The Los Angeles Rams have contacted multiple teams about a potential trade of Cooper Kupp ahead of the NFL trade deadline. The Rams have expressed a willingness to take on some of his 2024 salary and are seeking a second round pick back in return. The Rams currently have a 2-4 record and are in last place in the NFC West. Kupp has caught 18 balls against 27 targets for 147 yards and one touchdown this season. Kupp suffered an ankle injury in Week 2.
Why Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs look capable of a three-peat
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - He got picked off twice, failed to throw a touchdown pass and had a passer rating lower than the speed limit on some Silicon Valley surface streets. And that made sense, given that three of Patrick Mahomes ' most explosive options are sidelined with serious injuries - and his favorite target, a very accomplished tight end with an extremely famous girlfriend, admits he's no longer as swift as he once was.
Ricky Pearsall's emotional return to the 49ers included a refreshing dose of levity
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Ricky Pearsall's return to the San Francisco 49ers' practice field was understandably emotional, given the scary circumstances that delayed the rookie receiver's NFL debut. Yet Pearsall, a first-round draft pick who was shot through the chest during a daytime robbery attempt in San Francisco's Union Square on Aug. 31, also provided some levity during Monday's light workout by exhibiting a very relatable frailty. He was too gassed to string together a sentence. Hilarity ensued.
The mission for covering the NFL has never been clearer
The hug was heartfelt, fortified by a three-day, multi-state, exhilarating and enervating odyssey of trust and truthfulness. And when I pulled away from Dennis Rodman at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas in May 1995 and began walking toward my gate, I knew I was headed back to Northern California armed with an abundance of compelling material that would grab people's attention like the idiosyncratic NBA star's multi-hued hair dye.
Real-Life Spider-Man Tech: Tufts Engineers Create Web-Slinging Device [Video]
Liquid stream of silk solution solidifies to a fiber, adheres to and lifts a glass laboratory beaker. Credit: Marco Lo Presti, Tufts University Inspired by the fantastical abilities of comic book superheroes, researchers at Tufts University have developed a real-life web-slinging technology using silk fibroin.
CFPB's AI Stance Backslides On Innovation Issues
By Mike Silver (September 3, 2024, 4:33 PM EDT) -- Under the Dodd Frank Act, one of the statutory objectives of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is ensuring that "markets for consumer financial products and services operate transparently and efficiently to facilitate access and innovation."[1]... Law360 is on it, so you are, too. A Law360 subscription puts you at the center of fast-moving legal issues, trends and developments so you can act with speed and confidence.
Report: Commanders Back In Play For Brandon Aiyuk
The Washington Commanders may be back in play for Brandon Aiyuk. After trading Jahan Dotson to the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday, a report mentioned the Commanders as a potential suitor for the San Francisco 49ers wide receiver. After several weeks of trade rumors surrounding Aiyuk, things have gotten quiet. Aiyuk is due to make $14.1 million this year. The 49ers had chances to trade him before the draft, but they refused to accept any offers.
New, sustainable method for manufacturing microchips
Putting 50 billion transistors into a microchip the size of a fingernail is a feat that requires manufacturing methods of nanometre level precision — layering of thin films, then etching, depositing or using photolithography to create the patterns of semiconductor, insulator, metal and other materials that make up the tiny working devices within the chip.
New, more sustainable method for manufacturing microchips and other nanoscale devices
Jul 30, 2024 New, more sustainable method for manufacturing microchips and other nanoscale devices (Nanowerk News) Putting 50 billion transistors into a microchip the size of a fingernail is a feat that requires manufacturing methods of nanometer level precision—layering of thin films, then etching, depositing, or using photolithography to create the patterns of semiconductor, insulator, metal, and other materials that make up the tiny working devices within the chip.
Preview of a Post-Chevron World: The Seventh Circuit Upholds Regulation B's Discouragement Prohibition as Consistent with ECOA | JD Supra
With Loper Bright’s recent death blow to Chevron deference, some commentators have been predicting substantial constriction of the administrative state and the narrowing or limiting of the powers of federal regulators. For a variety of reasons, it’s certainly too soon to say. The administrative state is vast. There are more than 400 agencies and sub-agencies in the United States, and Congress enacts laws and delegates authority to agencies to adopt and implement regulations.
In The CFPB Playbook: Regulatory Aims Get High Court Assist
By Mike Silver, Marci Kawski and Cat Albrecht-Wiese (June 3, 2024, 5:10 PM EDT) -- As the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau continues to expand its oversight of the financial services industry and beyond, staying abreast of its activity is more important than ever. In this Expert Analysis series, former CFPB personnel provide recaps discussing the most noteworthy developments from each quarter.... Law360 is on it, so you are, too.
With the latest existential threat gone, will the CFPB finally grow up?
On July 21, 2011, one year after President Obama signed the Dodd-Frank Act, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau went live. Born from the fallout of the 2008 financial crisis, the CFPB has attracted controversy ever since. Numerous congressional bills would have altered or even abolished the agency. Two constitutional challenges — one recently decided — reached the Supreme Court. Six Senate-appointed and acting directors from different parties have put their stamp on the agency.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Mike
Contact Mike, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack