Things Worth Noting
Sea urchins, long considered brainless animals with just a simple decentralized nervous system (five radial nerves, a circumoral nerve ring, and a diffuse nerve net), are actually one giant distributed brain. A major 2025 study using single-nucleus RNA sequencing on juvenile purple sea urchins revealed that over 60% of their cell types are neuronal, expressing […]
A natural compound from pomegranate and walnuts — Urolithin A — can rejuvenate aging immune cells in just 28 days. Produced by gut bacteria from ellagitannins in these foods, Urolithin A triggers mitophagy: clearing damaged mitochondria and building healthy new ones. A recent human trial in adults 40–65 showed 1,000 mg daily significantly increased youthful […]
In Ripon, California, Weston Elementary School faced alarm in 2016–2019 when four students were diagnosed with rare childhood cancers (brain tumors, kidney cancer, liver cancer, lymphoma), plus cases among teachers and nearby preschoolers. Parents blamed a Sprint cell phone tower on campus for radiofrequency radiation exposure, despite measurements showing levels far below federal safety limits. […]
Mold in damp homes often causes allergy-like symptoms: stuffy or runny nose, sneezing, coughing, wheezing, itchy/watery eyes, throat irritation, and skin rashes. People with asthma may have worse attacks, and prolonged exposure can lead to sinus problems or rare lung inflammation. Some report chronic fatigue, brain fog, headaches, joint pain, mood changes, digestive issues, and […]
At COP30 in Belém, Brazil (November 10–21, 2025), what was meant to be the most inclusive UN climate summit quickly sparked outrage over the treatment of Indigenous protesters. Delegates from groups like the Munduruku demanded faster land demarcation, rejection of destructive infrastructure, and real Free Prior and Informed Consent in climate decisions. Peaceful actions—blockades, sit-ins, […]
In 2025, scientists discovered thriving microbial life in deadly electric-blue mud from deep-sea mud volcanoes near the Mariana Trench. This caustic serpentinite goo has a bleach-like pH of up to 12.6 and almost no nutrients, yet it hosts extremophilic archaea and bacteria with special cell membranes that resist extreme alkalinity. Powered entirely by serpentinization—a natural […]
Lunokhod 1, the Soviet Union’s groundbreaking robotic lunar rover, became the first vehicle to operate on another celestial body when it landed via Luna 17 in Mare Imbrium on November 17, 1970—exactly 55 years ago today. This eight-wheeled, bathtub-shaped rover, designed by Alexander Kemurdzhian and built by Lavochkin, weighed 840 kg and featured a solar-charged […]
Student loan forgiveness in 2025 offers real relief through Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF: 120 payments while working full-time for government/nonprofit), Teacher Loan Forgiveness (up to $17,500), income-driven repayment plans (IDR: 20-25 years to forgiveness), and discharges for closed schools or borrower defense. Only federal Direct Loans qualify directly; FFEL/Perkins often need consolidation. New laws […]
Rising allergies like food allergies, asthma, and eczema are linked to poor gut health caused by pesticide exposure. Pesticides such as glyphosate disrupt the gut microbiome, killing beneficial bacteria (Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium) and reducing microbial diversity. This dysbiosis weakens the gut barrier, triggers chronic inflammation, and impairs immune tolerance, making the body overreact to harmless allergens […]
Pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD) causes extreme mood swings, irritability, and mania in kids, often overlapping with ADHD or anxiety and resisting standard treatments. A key study in Frontiers in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry found 92% of 37 PBD children in a Lyme-endemic area had tick-borne infections like Lyme (Borrelia burgdorferi), Babesia, Bartonella, or Mycoplasma, with […]