Outpoll Weekly Recap: Science (November 17 – 23, 2025)

4 hours ago7 min read

This week in science felt like a direct download from the near future, with the biotech and AI sectors operating in a powerful, synergistic loop. The big story, without a doubt, was the landmark approval of the first AI-designed therapeutic by the European Medicines Agency.This isn't just another incremental drug discovery; we're talking about a small molecule treatment for a notoriously resilient form of leukemia, conceived not in a wet lab but within a generative AI model that predicted protein folding and compound efficacy with a speed that would have been pure science fiction a decade ago. Prediction markets on Outpoll went haywire, with shares for the lead AI pharma firm, NeuroSynth Bio, spiking 180% before settling at a still-impressive 142% gain, signaling a massive vote of confidence in this new R&D paradigm.Meanwhile, on the ecology front, a sobering report from the Global Carbon Project confirmed that atmospheric CO2 concentrations have hit a new, unsettling record, a development that saw prediction odds for 'major climate intervention policy passes in 2026' drop by 15 points, reflecting a growing market pessimism. But even here, tech offered a glimmer of hope: a joint NASA-ESA mission successfully deployed a new generation of hyperspectral satellites that provide near-real-time tracking of methane super-emitters, giving regulatory bodies unprecedented enforcement teeth.The prediction market for 'successful corporate methane prosecution by EOY' immediately jumped 40%, showing how data can directly influence financial and legal expectations. It’s a week that perfectly encapsulates our moment: we are simultaneously coding our way to medical miracles while scrambling to deploy technological fixes for the planetary-scale consequences of our past, a dual reality where the tools of the next generation are being forged in the fires of present-day crises.

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