Podcasts about researchers

It's never been easier to compare ourselves to others than the time we live in. Researchers have found that one of social media's most damaging effects isn't seizing our attention—it's that it constantly invites us to compare our lives to others. Psychologists call this “upward comparison”: looking at people who appear more successful, more attractive, happier or more fulfilled. The result is often greater anxiety, lower self-esteem and a distorted sense of identity. We were created to behold God, but we've become experts at beholding everybody else. In the Digital Age, comparison has moved from an occasional temptation to a way of life. But comparison is identity theft. It causes us to look horizontally for something that can only be found vertically. It makes us look around for what can only be found by looking up — to Christ.  

Google-owned Debug has proposed releasing 32 million Wolbachia-infected male mosquitoes in California and Florida to suppress populations of Aedes aegypti, the invasive mosquito that spreads dengue fever, yellow fever, and Zika virus The released males don't bite humans and are designed to mate with wild females whose eggs then fail to hatch, preventing more than 100 offspring from being produced from a single mating Public concern centers on the possibility of unintended environmental consequences, the difficulty of reversing large-scale biological releases and questions about the role of private corporations in ecosystem management Researchers reviewing Wolbachia-based mosquito-control programs found that they can reduce disease transmission, but success depends heavily on local conditions and often requires ongoing releases, specialized infrastructure and long-term monitoring Regardless of whether the proposal moves forward, you can reduce your exposure to mosquito-borne diseases by eliminating standing water around your home, using physical barriers such as screens and reducing mosquito breeding sites in your community

This week, we are joined by Marcus Hutchins, Principal Threat Researcher at Expel, sharing their work on "Not very gentlemanly: Analyzing a zero-day exploit used by The Gentlemen ransomware to disable targets' EDRs." Researchers examine how the Gentlemen ransomware group used a previously unknown zero-day vulnerability in a legacy Windows driver to disable endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools before deploying ransomware. The report details the group's advanced bring-your-own-vulnerable-driver (BYOVD) techniques, which bypass multiple Windows security protections to gain kernel-level access and terminate protected security software. It also outlines defensive measures organizations can take, including enabling Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC), virtualization-based security (VBS), and vulnerable driver blocklists to reduce the risk of similar attacks. The research and executive brief can be found here: Not very gentlemanly: Analyzing a zero-day exploit used by The Gentlemen ransomware to disable targets' EDRs

A paraplegic man and his best friend set off on a trip that could redefine what accessibility means. Meet the CNN Hero protecting mountain gorillas by empowering their human neighbors. Researchers are heading to a remote Pacific island hoping to solve the decades-old mystery of what happened to Amelia Earhart. Women's professional baseball begins a historic new chapter in front of a sold-out crowd. Plus, we'll tell you why thousands gather in Tuscany for one of Italy's most charming races.  Host/Producer: Krista Bo Polanco  Producer: Eryn Mathewson   Senior Producer: Zach Goldbaum, Felicia Patinkin  Editorial Support: Laura Sharman, Kathleen Toner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

>p>Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 7-30-2026: A type of coffee brewed from beans that have been altered by passage through the digestive track of civet cats is a delicacy in Southeast Asia. A Scientific Reports paper using gas chromatography analyzed Kopi Luwak (civet-processed coffee beans) versus fresh-picked beans, finding elevated caprylic and capric acids that carry the characteristic flavor notes found in dairy products. Dr. Manuel Esteller sampled and tested the blood, saliva, urine, and stool of the oldest human Maria Branyas Morera, who died last year at 117. Despite exceptionally short telomeres, she carried anti-inflammatory genetic variants seen in long-lived dogs, worms, and flies, and had unusually high Bifidobacterium levels—likely boosted by her three-daily-servings-of-yogurt habit. Dr. Dawn defends sunscreen use against Environmental Working Group scare campaigns, noting that concerns about absorption of sunscreen ingredients into blood remain theoretical while sunburn's melanoma link is well-established. She argues that a badly sunburned toddler starts a clock that can produce melanoma by the late teens. The FDA advisory committee is reviewing certain short amino acid chains popularly known as "peptides" for potential compounding-pharmacy production, covering proposed to treat ulcerative colitis, wound healing, insomnia, insulin resistance, migraines, and osteoporosis. Dr. Dawn flags that five to seven committee members have industry conflicts of interest, but argues that even flawed approval is preferable to the current gray market, where analysis shows vials contain only 4-28% of labeled content along with endotoxin and toluene contamination. She proposes surveillance tracking of prescribed peptides to catch adverse effects early, citing a foreign melanocortin nasal spray tanning product that caused rare nasal melanomas as a cautionary example. Utah State biochemists working with the Cas12a2 CRISPR enzyme discovered that instead of behaving as a precise gene-editor like Cas9, it goes into an indiscriminate DNA-shredding mode after recognizing its target RNA. By programming it to recognize RNA sequences uniquely activated in cancer cells (embryonic-development genes that shouldn't be running in adults), researchers destroyed only the cancer cells in tissue culture, potentially offering a way to eliminate small metastases without healthy tissue toxicity. Cancer patients who received a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine within 100 days of starting immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy showed dramatically improved outcomes, with median survival in advanced lung cancer rising from 20 to 37 months. Non-mRNA vaccines (flu, pneumonia) showed no such benefit. Lab work suggests the mRNA triggers type-1 interferon release that activates tumor-infiltrating immune cells and drives them to lymph nodes to train other immune cells against the tumor. Researchers redesigned a CD40 agonist antibody to bind multiple receptors simultaneously by clustering with a second antibody, stretching the cell surface and triggering a powerful immune response. In a 12-patient trial, injecting one tumor caused all tumors to shrink in six patients and produced complete remission in two—including a melanoma patient with dozens of leg tumors and a metastatic breast cancer patient whose lung and liver tumors resolved after skin injection. Two small trials of CAR natural killer cells—engineered like CAR T-cells but derived from donor umbilical cord blood and thus potentially available off-the-shelf—showed remarkable results in autoimmune disease. All 27 systemic lupus patients targeting the CD19 protein on autoantibody-producing cells showed improvement, with some remaining in remission at nearly two years. A single Shanghai patient with systemic sclerosis showed restoration of normal skin and blood vessel structure. A paradox has emerged in advanced prostate cancer: while blocking testosterone halts early tumor growth, cancer cells eventually adapt to low-androgen conditions such that flooding tissues with testosterone in advanced disease can actually halt tumor progression by triggering cellular redifferentiation. Separately, Dr. Dawn reviews conflicting evidence on Parkinson's risk from androgen deprivation therapy, singling out enzalutamide (Xtandi) as the most concerning drug due to blood-brain barrier penetration, and recommending darolutamide as the safest alternative with matching prostate efficacy but minimal CNS entry.

You could get a three for one deal at your flu shot appointment this year. Researchers have discovered how to overcome chemo resistance. Are you properly prepared for your next hike? The mystery of chronic itch may finally be traced back to the finest hairs on your skin. Facebook: ingoodhealthpodX: @ ingoodhealthpodIG: @ingoodhealthpodYouTube: @ingoodhealthpodSpotify Apple Podcast In Good Health PodcastSubscribed to the newsletterFull ArchiveContact UsBecome an Affiliate Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this edition of Free City Radio we hear directly from Alex Nelson, a frontline housing researcher in London, Ontario who is actively working to bridge the social and economic gaps between the many researchers looking at the crisis along with those holding direct frontline experience on the ground. Alex speaks to the active policy decisions by successive Liberal and Conservative governments who have failed not only to address the crisis but have propelled the depths of the crisis in the context of the financialization of housing. Thank you to researcher and educator Jayne Malenfant for making this connection originally. The music track is Passage by Anarchist Mountains. Free City Radio is hosted and produced by Stefan Christoff and broadcasts on: CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal - Wednesdays at 11am CJLO 1690 AM in Montreal - Thursdays 8am CKUW 95.9 FM in Winnipeg - Tuesdays 8am, Fridays 1:30pm CFRC 101.9 FM in Kingston - Wednesdays 11:30am CFUV 101.9 FM in Victoria - Saturdays 7am Met Radio 1280 AM in Toronto - Fridays at 5:30am CKCU 93.1 FM in Ottawa - Tuesdays at 2pm CJSF 90.1 FM in Vancouver - Tuesdays at 4pm CHMA 106.9 FM in Sackville, New Brunswick - Tuesdays at 10am

Viagra's Cancer Signal, TV's Toll on Your Brain, Heat and Accelerated Aging, and a New Way to Flush Your Brain Explained Viagra's Active Ingredient May Block Cancer From Spreading A study published in Cancer Research from the Weizmann Institute of Science, in collaboration with Clalit and the U.S. National Cancer Institute, found that sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, may interfere with cancer cells' ability to metastasize by disrupting how they regulate cholesterol, a resource tumors need to detach and invade new tissue. The team combined mouse models and human cell cultures with more than twenty years of medical records covering roughly five million people, and found better survival outcomes among about forty thousand cancer patients who had taken sildenafil before diagnosis. Researchers also flagged a possible combination effect with statins. Host Dave Asprey breaks down why this cheap, off-patent drug class deserves more attention than it's getting, and where it fits alongside his own longevity protocol. Source: https://www.healthline.com/health-news/viagra-may-stop-cancer-from-spreading-study ~~ Heavy TV Watching In Midlife Tied To Alzheimer's-Related Brain Changes A nearly twenty-four-year study published in Alzheimer's & Dementia followed more than 1,700 adults, tracking TV habits in their early fifties and scanning their brains in their mid-seventies. Men who watched more TV showed greater white matter damage and smaller frontal and occipital lobes, while women showed no such association. Critically, people with desk jobs that kept them sedentary all day did not show the same brain changes, and the TV association held even after adjusting for exercise levels. Host Dave Asprey unpacks why passive screen time, not sitting itself, may be the real driver here. Sources: https://www.the-independent.com/life-style/tv-time-linked-alzheimers-study-b3023054.html https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/alz.71582 ~~ Ambient Heat Exposure Linked To Faster Biological Aging A Science Advances study of 3,686 older adults linked neighborhood-level heat index exposure to accelerated biological aging using DNA methylation clocks. Short-term heat exposure moved one clock significantly, while exposure sustained over a full year or six years moved all major clocks, with extreme-caution heat days tied to nearly a three-year jump in one aging measure and a five percent faster overall aging pace on another. Researchers point to inflammation and stress signaling as likely drivers. Host Dave Asprey explains why this is a fundamentally different kind of heat story than the sauna and cold-plunge conversation biohackers are used to. Source: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adr0616 ~~ Industrial Chicken Farming May Be Accelerating The Spread Of Drug-Resistant Bacteria A genomic analysis of nearly 2,800 bacterial samples from chickens and wild birds across thirty countries, published in PNAS and covered by The Guardian, found a roughly hundredfold increase in Campylobacter strain transitions between wild birds and farmed chickens since 1900. Global chicken populations have grown sevenfold since the 1960s to about 27 billion birds, and researchers identified genetic adaptations tied to antimicrobial resistance developing inside that population. Sixty to eighty percent of human Campylobacter infections trace back to raw chicken, with links to post-infectious IBS in some cases. Host Dave Asprey connects the dots between industrial farming density and the gut-health stakes for anyone who eats chicken. Sources: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2026/jul/27/industrial-chicken-farming-accelerating-spread-of-diarrhoea-bacteria-study-finds https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2609969123 ~~ VA Researchers Develop Breathing-Based "Brain Flush" For Parkinson's And Alzheimer's VA researchers led by Dr. Henry Lin found a way to trigger the brain's glymphatic clearance system, normally active during deep sleep, in people who are awake, using alternating puffs of five percent carbon dioxide and room air every thirty-five seconds. In a study of thirty Parkinson's patients and thirty-three healthy controls, a single thirty-minute session produced measurable increases in blood levels of beta-amyloid, alpha-synuclein, and other waste proteins associated with neurodegeneration. The VA's Technology Transfer Program is now developing a patent and prototype device. Host Dave Asprey explains why this gives breathwork protocols a real physiological mechanism instead of just a hunch. Source: https://www.research.va.gov/currents/0426-Exciting-new-treatment-being-developed-for-Parkinsons-Alzheimers.cfm ~~~ This episode is designed for biohackers, longevity enthusiasts, and high-performance listeners who want mechanism-level insights into an overlooked cancer drug repurposing story, the real difference between passive and active screen time, a new angle on heat as a biological stressor, the hidden gut-health cost of industrial poultry farming, and a breathing technique that may unlock your brain's own detox system. Host Dave Asprey connects clinical research, large-scale genomic data, and translational neuroscience into practical frameworks for improving longevity, gut health, and brain performance. New episodes every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Keywords: sildenafil cancer metastasis, Viagra cancer research, cholesterol cancer cells, PDE5 inhibitor longevity, TV Alzheimer's risk, screen time dementia, white matter brain aging, passive sedentary behavior brain, ambient heat epigenetic aging, DNA methylation clock, heat index biological aging, industrial chicken farming bacteria, Campylobacter antibiotic resistance, foodborne illness IBS, glymphatic system brain flush, CO2 breathing brain detox, Parkinson's Alzheimer's treatment, VA brain research, biohacking news 2026, Dave Asprey, The Human Upgrade Thank you to our sponsors! - Suppgrade Labs | Get real restorative sleep with Quiet Mode. Use code DAVE15 at shopsuppgradelabs.com. - Timeline | Visit timeline.com/dave to learn more about Mitopure and get 20% off your first order for a limited time. - iRestore | Reverse hair loss at www.irestore.com/DAVE and get exclusive savings on the iRestore Elite, use code DAVE Resources: • Get My 2026 Clean Nicotine Roadmap | Enroll for free at https://daveasprey.com/2026-clean-nicotine-roadmap/ • Get My 2026 Biohacking Trends Report: https://daveasprey.com/2026-biohacking-trends-report/ • Dave Asprey's Latest News | Go to https://daveasprey.com/ to join Inside Track today. • Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/dave15 • My Daily Supplements: SuppGrade Labs (15% Off) • Favorite Blue Light Blocking Glasses: TrueDark (15% Off) • Dave Asprey's BEYOND Conference: https://beyondconference.com • Dave Asprey's New Book – Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated • Join My Substack (Live Access To Podcast Recordings): https://substack.daveasprey.com/ • Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro 00:19 – Story #1: Viagra & Cancer 02:01 – Story #2: TV Watching & Brain Aging 03:16 – Story #3: Heat Exposure & Biological Age 04:46 – Story #4: Chicken Farming 06:34 – Story #5: CO2 Therapy & Brain Detox See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Geranylgeraniol (GG) is a naturally produced compound that helps regulate memory, metabolism, inflammation, and cellular repair, but your body makes less of it as you age Researchers found that GG supports important cellular signaling systems that help brain cells communicate, form memories and adapt to everyday stress Low GG levels are linked to many of the same biological changes seen in aging, including declining cellular energy, insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, and impaired tissue repair In laboratory research, GG's metabolite, geranylgeranoic acid (GGA), has been shown to interfere with key survival mechanisms inside certain cancer cells — early findings that some researchers describe as a potential built-in check on uncontrolled cell growth Supporting the mevalonate pathway through nutrient-dense foods, regular sunlight exposure, movement, avoidance of ultraprocessed foods, and, for some people, targeted GG supplementation, may help support the cellular systems involved in healthy aging

In this episode:00:24 The quest to count the Amazon's insects07:31 The orcas that exploded a sunfishThe Guardian: Orcas seen ramming prey so hard it explodes may be playing gameTiktok: Orcas vs sunfishSubscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can an AI do the right thing for the wrong reason? Tim Scarfe speaks with Apollo Research's Alexander Meinke, Axel Højmark and Jérémy Scheurer about Measuring Reward-Seeking via Contrastive Belief Updates, their new research with OpenAI.The panel asks how models infer what graders reward, why good behaviour can come from the wrong reason, and whether that difference can be measured. The conversation moves through promise-breaking, grader awareness, reward hacking, scheming, opaque reasoning and corrigibility, then turns to a detailed walkthrough of the contrastive-belief method and what its results do and do not show. The o3 results discussed here concern an intermediate checkpoint without safety training.This episode was made in partnership with Apollo Research. MLST retained full editorial control.ReferenceApollo Research: https://www.apolloresearch.ai/---TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Cold Open00:02:12 Right Things, Wrong Reasons00:12:47 Grader Awareness00:26:22 Legibility00:32:35 What To Call It00:35:58 Intelligence, Agency, Anthropomorphism00:45:16 Apollo's Mission00:48:54 The End of the Exponential00:55:45 The Paper01:16:34 Closing Reflection---REFERENCES:tool:[00:00:08] Claude Fablehttps://www.anthropic.com/claude/fable[00:12:50] AlphaGo Zerohttps://deepmind.google/blog/alphago-zero-starting-from-scratch/[00:44:30] AlphaFold 3https://deepmind.google/science/alphafold/paper:[00:01:02] Measuring Reward-Seeking via Contrastive Belief Updateshttps://arxiv.org/abs/2607.18966[00:16:19] Natural Language Autoencoders Produce Unsupervised Explanations of LLM Activationshttps://transformer-circuits.pub/2026/nla/[00:26:48] Stress Testing Deliberative Alignment for Anti-Scheming Traininghttps://arxiv.org/abs/2509.15541[00:35:33] Shortcut learning in deep neural networkshttps://arxiv.org/abs/2004.07780[00:53:49] Measuring AI Ability to Complete Long Software Taskshttps://arxiv.org/abs/2503.14499[00:59:52] Modifying LLM Beliefs with Synthetic Document Finetuninghttps://alignment.anthropic.com/2025/modifying-beliefs-via-sdf/[01:10:44] Alignment Faking in Large Language Modelshttps://arxiv.org/abs/2412.14093[01:13:55] Natural Emergent Misalignment from Reward Hackinghttps://www.anthropic.com/research/emergent-misalignment-reward-hackingother:[00:10:14] We Need a Science of Scheminghttps://www.apolloresearch.ai/science/science-of-scheming/[00:32:56] CoastRunners reward hacking examplehttps://deepmind.google/blog/specification-gaming-the-flip-side-of-ai-ingenuity/organization:[01:06:07] Redwood Researchhttps://www.redwoodresearch.org/---ReScript: https://app.rescript.info/share/718ab68e18cfa3b9b800da6b3290fd42

China embraces open AI models, then worries it's become a national security risk. The cyberattack on Minnesota water systems proves larger than first reported. CISA updates its SBOM guidance. AI supercharges dangling DNS attacks. Researchers uncover a self-propagating Copilot worm. A critical Rails flaw demands urgent patching. Mac users are lured into installing malware through fake Claude guides. Amazon links a string of NPM compromises to North Korea. And Russia charges Telegram founder Pavel Durov with aiding terrorism. Ben Yelin joins us with a border search case that's breaking new ground. Don't bite the North Korean hand that feeds you. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our daily intelligence roundup, Daily Briefing, and you'll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow CyberWire Daily on LinkedIn. CyberWire Guest Today we are joined by Ben Yelin from University of Maryland Center for Cyber Health and Hazard Strategies talking about a border search case that's breaking new ground. If you enjoyed this conversation, check out Ben on the Caveat podcast here.  Selected Reading As China's A.I. Gets Stronger, It Poses New Risks to Beijing (New York Times) Minnesota Water Utilities Suffer ‘Coordinated Cyber Attack' (GovTech) CISA Updates Software Bill of Materials Guidance to Strengthen Supply Chain Security (HSToday) ‘DangleGeddon': AI Could Weaponize Forgotten DNS Records at Global Scale (SecurityWeek) Word worm crawls into Copilot, spreads chaos (The Register) Possible arbitrary file read and remote code execution in Active Storage variant processing (GitHub) Fake Claude Install Guide Leads to MacSync Stealer and RAT: What We Pulled From the Attacker's Servers (Huntress) Amazon identifies North Korean hacker group behind open-source supply chain attacks (AWS Security Blog) Russia accuses Telegram CEO Pavel Durov of aiding terrorism in its latest digital crackdown (AP News) North Korea's elite hackers turned on their own government — and got caught (Bitdefender) Share your feedback. What do you think about CyberWire Daily? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey. Thank you for helping us continue to improve our show. Want to hear your company in the show? N2K CyberWire helps you reach the industry's most influential leaders and operators, while building visibility, authority, and connectivity across the cybersecurity community. Learn more at sponsor.thecyberwire.com. The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc.

Pitchers are constantly looking for the best way to recover after a long outing. Walk into any training room, and you will hear the hum of massage guns and see guys strapped to ice machines. We're seeing newer things too, like ESTIM machines and even BFR after an outing. We know pitching causes microtrauma and neuromuscular fatigue. The debate over how to properly manage that fatigue never seems to stop.A recent study finally put percussive massage and traditional ice therapy head to head. Researchers had collegiate pitchers throw 75 pitches and then gave them either a targeted massage gun session or 15 minutes of isolated icing. They tracked exactly what happened to the shoulder over the next 48 hours.The results might force you to change how you handle your athletes post-game. One of these popular methods actually restored shoulder external rotation strength and proprioception. The other completely fell flat after two days. Check out this week's podcast episode to hear my breakdown of the data and find out exactly what you should be doing to keep your pitchers healthy and performing at their best.To see full show notes and more, head to: https://mikereinold.com/does-icing-your-shoulder-still-work-for-baseball-pitchers/ ----------Want to learn a complete system to help people restore, optimize, and enhance their performance?Enrollment in my Champion Performance Specialist program is opening soon.   We only open the doors to new cohorts twice per year.  Click here to learn how to join the pre-sale VIP list to save $300 and enroll a week early to secure your spot. Click Here to View My Online CoursesWant to learn more from me? I have a variety of online courses on my website!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show_____Want to learn more?  Check out my blog, podcasts, and online coursesFollow me:  Instagram  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Youtube

Fog is a constant presence on the Oregon Coast, but it can be difficult to measure and track. In a recent study, researchers used webcams that are normally used to check surfing conditions to get a better picture of when and where fog forms and dissipates.    The team analyzed images from six cameras stretching from Cannon Beach to Yaquina Head and compared them with data from a visibility sensor at the Newport Municipal Airport that measures fog. They found that while fog was often patchy and rapidly shifting between camera sites, the airport sensor still provided a reliable picture of average fog frequency along the coast.   Sonya Rauschenbach is a graduate student in atmospheric science at UC Davis and the lead author of the study. She joins us with more details.  

An independent alcohol researcher says he's concerned officials have slowed a review into the country's drinking advice.  

The New England coast used to be crowded with wild oyster reefs. But the reefs have been decimated by overfishing, pollution, development and climate change. Aran Mooney, who studies underwater acoustics at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, is researching whether sound can help with efforts to restore oyster beds

-The gain for electrified vehicles comes during a down period for the auto industry. Global car sales dropped five percent in the first half of 2026, largely due to falling shipments in the world's two largest car markets, China and the US. -The FCC defines "advanced robotic devices" as a software-controlled autonomous robot that can perceive its environment, weighs more than 4.4lbs (inclusive of its dock), travels across the ground and offers wireless connectivity. -Researchers from "select academic institutions" included in the program will receive hands-on support from OpenAI, access to the company's latest GPT-5.6 Sol Pro model and be able to invite four collaborators from their institution to participate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

News and Updates: Garbage Trucks as Code Enforcers: Cape Coral, Florida considered AI cameras on sanitation trucks to flag overgrown lawns and code violations, but scrapped the plan July 13 over cost and limited benefit. Illinois Passes AI Safety Law: Governor Pritzker signed a law requiring companies to disclose AI safety incidents within 72 hours and report imminent risks—including weapons-related misuse—to law enforcement within 24 hours. Following California and New York, Illinois' law effectively sets a national standard since major AI companies operate in all three states; Anthropic voiced support for the measure. AI and "Cognitive Surrender": New research shows AI boosts task performance but can erode independent thinking—one study found accuracy collapsed below baseline after just 10 minutes of AI assistance was removed. Researchers recommend keeping idea generation and early drafts AI-free, using AI as a "sparring partner" rather than an answer machine, and asking for explanations rather than just solutions. A Deepening Relationship with AI: A NYT columnist describes Silicon Valley insiders racing to make their lives "legible" to AI—feeding it journals, code, and communications—drawing comparisons to Pullman's daemons and warning of an eroding private self.

A new farming practice should earn a producer's confidence before it is trusted with an entire field. Oklahoma State University Extension specialists Brian Arnall, Ph.D., and Josh Lofton, Ph.D., explain how small-plot research becomes practical agronomic guidance for Oklahoma producers. They discuss replication, field variability, statistical confidence, and the steps researchers take before recommending changes involving nitrogen, plant population, varieties, or other crop-management decisions. They also explain why on-farm cooperators and producer-run trials are critical for testing whether research results hold up under commercial conditions. Key takeaways: Small plots help researchers isolate treatment effects by reducing differences in soil, rainfall, pests and field management. A large field demonstration may look convincing, but without replication it can be difficult to separate a treatment response from normal field variability. Results should usually be repeated across multiple years, locations, soil types and weather conditions before becoming a broad recommendation. Researchers may require greater confidence when a recommendation would significantly change established practices or put a producer's return on investment at risk. Producers can manage adoption risk by testing a new practice on a few strips or limited acres before applying it across the operation. Detailed Timestamped Rundown: 00:00–02:13 — Episode introduction and research question Dave Deken introduces the discussion of “big science on small acres” and previews how small-plot trials become real-world recommendations. Brian Arnall and Josh Lofton are introduced along with their OSU Extension roles.02:16–05:09 — Why researchers use small plots Arnall explains that an entire trial may fit within roughly a quarter acre. The smaller area allows researchers to keep treatments on similar soil and under comparable rainfall, pest pressure and environmental conditions. Small plots also make it possible to test many treatments with several replications.05:09–08:19 — Matching plot size to field variability Lofton explains that researchers must decide whether to minimize variability with smaller plots or include more variability within longer plots. Forage research may require longer plots, while detailed plant-physiology questions may be studied in one-foot-by-one-foot microplots.08:21–10:14 — Demonstrations versus replicated science Large demonstrations can show whether a practice appears workable across several acres, but they may not provide strong scientific evidence without replication. Researchers are cautious about using a producer's land for an idea that may reduce yield or profitability.10:14–13:26 — Testing across years and environments A practice that works repeatedly near Stillwater may respond differently in western Oklahoma's sandy soils or the wetter, heavier soils of northeastern Oklahoma. Researchers distinguish between an observation, a tentative practice to try and a formal recommendation.13:26–16:19 — Blocking, variety trials and experimental tradeoffs Lofton describes how treatments are grouped into blocks so each treatment experiences a comparable environment. Trials containing too many varieties can stretch across changing soils and conditions, so researchers may divide varieties into separate maturity groups.16:19–19:15 — Statistical error and recommendation risk The group discusses the possibility of concluding that a treatment works when it does not, or concluding that it does not work when it actually does. Arnall emphasizes the risk of recommending a product or practice that fails to produce a dependable return.19:15–22:10 — Why confidence standards can change Lofton and Arnall discuss the difference between 90% and 95% confidence. The appropriate threshold depends on the research question, the quality of the field conditions and the consequences of being wrong. Major changes to accepted practices demand stronger evidence.22:10–24:22 — Evidence behind major management changes The speakers compare agricultural risk with the much higher certainty required in medicine and engineering. Arnall says he had approximately six years of data before becoming highly vocal about delaying some nitrogen applications.24:22–26:54 — Challenging assumptions and explaining mechanisms Researchers do not rely on statistics alone. They ask whether a result makes biological and agronomic sense, discuss it with colleagues and collect additional plant or soil measurements to explain why it occurred.26:54–29:44 — Scientific disagreement strengthens recommendations Arnall and Lofton explain that members of the research team frequently disagree about mechanisms and interpretations. Those arguments continue until the data support a consistent OSU recommendation. Repeating work with different students or projects can provide additional confirmation.29:46–32:10 — Moving research into producer fields The discussion returns to the progression from controlled plots to practical use. Some practices move into formal demonstrations, while others are tested through a few producer-applied passes or strips. Starting with a limited area gives producers a way to evaluate an unfamiliar practice without risking the whole operation.32:10–34:31 — Why farmer-hosted small plots matter Arnall emphasizes that many small plots are located on commercial farms rather than research stations. These sites provide different soils, management histories and production environments, although the plots can create extra work for the cooperating producer.34:31–35:30 — Helping producers become experimenters Lofton describes producers who begin with one research project and then start conducting their own field demonstrations. County Extension educators can help producers establish useful comparisons and interpret the results.35:30–37:20 — Building a statewide cooperator network Arnall discusses working with different groups of cooperators over time and matching projects with farms that provide the appropriate crop, soil, management system and region. This network improves the relevance of OSU agronomy research.37:20–38:22 — Closing thoughts The episode concludes with appreciation for producer cooperators and an invitation for listeners to visit Red Dirt Agronomy, submit questions and learn more about the research discussed on the program. RedDirtAgronomy.com

Researchers and executives from companies including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and Meta have urged Washington to back an international effort to address risks arising from advanced AI systems

HEALTH NEWS   Review finds blueberry and grape polyphenols may improve vascular health Plant compound shows promise for treating rheumatoid arthritis at its source, study finds Screen Time at Ages 1 and 6 Linked to Lasting Learning and Memory Effects Some caffeinated drinks are linked to poorer memory Study: Morning Exercise Linked to Lower Daily Calorie Intake Compared to Evening Workouts   Review finds blueberry and grape polyphenols may improve vascular health Universidad Católica de Murcia (Spain), July 27 2026 (News-Medical) A recent review published in the journal Nutrients examined the evidence on the effects of blueberries, grapes, and their bioactive compounds on cardiovascular risk markers. In the present study, a comprehensive systematic literature search was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs), systematic reviews, and meta-analyses published from January 2015 through April 2026.  Two systematic reviews and meta-analyses reported that grape polyphenols at doses exceeding 500 mg/day for at least 12 weeks significantly reduced C-reactive protein levels, while the other reported improvements in vascular function or BP in 84% of the human studies it assessed, including a significant reduction in systolic BP. One found a modest reduction in BP and improvement in endothelial function with flavan-3-ol foods, such as tea, apples, cocoa, and grape-derived products. Moderate- and high-quality RCTs reported improvements in lipid peroxidation, lipid profiles, flow-mediated dilation, diastolic BP, and paraoxonase activity. Resveratrol and blueberry RCTs mainly reported endothelial and vascular benefits, such as improved nitric oxide production and flow-mediated dilation and reduced BP and inflammatory markers. One high-quality RCT involving older men with metabolic syndrome showed significant improvements in arterial stiffness and endothelial function after six months of daily blueberry consumption.     Plant compound shows promise for treating rheumatoid arthritis at its source, study finds Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, July 27 2026 (Natural News) A plant-derived compound called obakulactone (OL) reduced swelling, inflammation and joint damage in rats with rheumatoid arthritis, according to a study published in Engineering.   The compound, a tetracyclic triterpenoid from the bark of Phellodendri cortex, also rebalanced immune activity and corrected disrupted fatty acid metabolismd. P. cortex has been used in traditional medicine and contains OL along with other constituents, Researchers tested OL in rats with rheumatoid arthritis, administering low, medium and high doses for 21 days. Treatment significantly reduced joint swelling and helped restore the normal structure of cartilage and the synovium, the tissue lining the joints, according to the report.   Blood tests showed dose-dependent decreases in inflammatory molecules including IL-1, IL-6, IL-17 and TNF, as well as rheumatoid arthritis markers RF, CCP-Ab, CRP and MMP-3, officials said. The compound also reduced abnormally high levels of CD3+ T cells and CD68+ macrophages within the joints and shifted macrophages from a proinflammatory M1 state toward an anti-inflammatory M2 state.   Screen Time at Ages 1 and 6 Linked to Lasting Learning and Memory Effects National University of Singapore & Zhejiang University (China), July 28, 2026 (SciTech Daily) A study that tracked children from age 1 through age 8 found that greater screen viewing time, especially during infancy and near the start of school, was associated with lower academic performance at age 9 and weaker working memory at age 10.5. The results indicate that when children use screens may matter as much as how long they spend using them. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Academy of Pediatrics advise avoiding screens before 18 to 24 months and limiting viewing to less than one hour per day between ages 2 and 5. Many children exceed those recommendations, yet previous research on screens and cognitive development has produced inconsistent results. The analysis included 502 children followed from infancy into middle childhood. Higher screen viewing during particular stages was associated with poorer academic results and weaker working memory later on. The clearest and most consistent relationships appeared during infancy and near school entry, suggesting that these may be especially sensitive periods for cognitive development. Children with greater total screen exposure across childhood also generally performed less well in school. Together, the findings suggest that both the timing and overall amount of viewing may have implications for learning and memory.   Some caffeinated drinks are linked to poorer memory Applied Science Private University (Jordan), July 28 2026 (News-Medical) A recent study in the Journal of Education and Health Promotion examined the association between caffeine-containing products and memory performance, anxiety, and stress among university students in Jordan. 204 students were ultimately included in the study.  Mild psychological distress was the most common category, with 38.2% reporting such symptoms. About four in ten reported mild depression, and over a quarter experienced moderate anxiety. Only a small minority showed severe or extremely severe stress. Caramel or nut-filled chocolate was the most frequently consumed item, reported by 54.9% of students, followed by Arabic coffee (40.2%) and red tea (35.8%). Milk chocolate was also popular, typically consumed once or twice a day. Dark chocolate was less common, while American coffee and green tea were less popular, and decaffeinated coffee was rarely chosen. Overall DASS scores, representing depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms, showed positive correlations with the consumption of dark chocolate, American/instant coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and red tea, indicating these items were linked to higher psychological distress scores. Memory ability was negatively associated with higher intake of American coffee, Arabic coffee, and soft drinks.  The authors note that chocolate and green tea also contain bioactive compounds such as cocoa flavanols and L-theanine, which may have contributed to these associations alongside caffeine.   Study: Morning Exercise Linked to Lower Daily Calorie Intake Compared to Evening Workouts Copenhagen University Hospital (Denmark), July 27 2026 (Natural News)   A new study has found that morning exercise was associated with lower calorie consumption throughout the day compared to evening workouts, according to the research. Participants who exercised in the morning consumed about 400 fewer calories at the post-workout meal and roughly 547 fewer calories over the full 24-hour period, the study reported.   The study, which involved 35 healthy young adults. Each participant completed 30 minutes of treadmill running multiple times under varying conditions: morning fasted, evening fasted for 12 hours or 6 hours, and morning or evening fed, the study stated. The repeated-measures design enabled researchers to compare the same person's responses across different scenarios, officials said. After evening sessions, participants reported higher hunger, a stronger desire to eat, and lower fullness compared to morning sessions, the study found. Those who worked out in the evening consumed about 400 more calories at the post-workout meal and roughly 547 more calories over the full day, according to the research.   The appetite advantage was attributed to circadian rhythms, researchers said. The hunger hormone ghrelin naturally rises in the evening, while satiety hormones are more active in the morning,.

In this week's episode of Medicine: The Truth, hosts Jeremy Corr and Dr. Robert Pearl dig for the facts beneath healthcare's biggest headlines. Today's show opens with the issue most likely to shape how Americans think about healthcare heading into the midterm elections: affordability. Dr. Pearl explains that medical costs have now reached $5.7 trillion, rising more than 7% for the third consecutive year. Federal actuaries project that healthcare spending could approach $9 trillion by 2034, accounting for more than 20% of the U.S. GDP. For voters, employers, patients and families, those numbers aren't just an endless string of zeroes. They're impacting everyday life. Premiums, deductibles, copays and prescription drug costs are forcing people with private insurance, Medicare and exchange coverage to delay care, take on debt or choose worse coverage. Two major drivers stand out: hospital spending and drug costs. Hospital care remains the largest share of national healthcare expenses, while drug spending is rising fastest, driven in part by the growing use of GLP-1 medications. Pearl sees enormous potential in these drugs to improve health and reduce complications over time, but only if prices fall low enough for the long-term savings to justify the near-term expense. That tension becomes clearer in the discussion of Medicare's new GLP-1 pilot program for weight loss. Under the “bridge program,” eligible Medicare enrollees will be able to obtain GLP-1 medications for $50 a month, far below current retail prices. Pearl calls the program an important experiment, but also notes its limitations: coverage is not automatic, eligibility is restricted, administrative hurdles remain and the pilot may end after 18 months. If patients lose access and regain weight, the program could fail despite the promise of the medication. The episode then moves into several unusual and important stories, including new research into the origins of life, the medical risks of cannibalism, the promise and limitations of wearable health data, a large cyclosporiasis outbreak, rising e-bike injuries among children and adolescents, a new cholesterol-lowering pill, CDC leadership and measles. Here are the major storylines from episode 109: Researchers studying the origin of life made progress by taking a counterintuitive approach: building a synthetic cell from simple inorganic materials rather than stripping existing life forms down to their minimum parts. “Spud cell” research could eventually help scientists understand which genes are essential and create engineered cells capable of producing new medical treatments. A new study suggests cannibalism may have disappeared in part because of medical consequences, including infections and prion diseases that harmed tribes practicing it. Wearable devices are generating valuable health data, but most doctors lack the time, reimbursement and regulatory pathways needed to integrate that information into clinical care. A large cyclosporiasis outbreak has raised concerns about foodborne illness surveillance, produce safety and the difficulty of identifying contamination sources when symptoms appear one to two weeks after exposure. E-bike injuries are rising, especially among children and adolescents, with head, face and neck injuries posing particular concern. The FDA has approved a new pill that can lower LDL cholesterol to very low levels, though Pearl emphasizes that most average-risk patients should still rely on low-cost generic statins. The nomination hearing for Dr. Erica Schwartz as CDC director highlighted the continuing tension between science and politics, especially around vaccines, RFK Jr. and public trust in federal health agencies. Measles cases continue to rise, with nearly all occurring among unvaccinated people and with serious risks for those whose immunity has waned. Generative AI may reduce costs and accelerate parts of drug development, but no AI-generated medication has yet obtained FDA approval. The episode closes with a broader reflection on Season 11 of Fixing Healthcare. Pearl notes that the concerns raised by guests with large public followings are often different from the priorities emphasized by clinicians and national medical societies. Most Americans are not asking for unreasonable things. They want healthcare that is easier to access, affordable for their families and personalized to their circumstances. That gap, Pearl argues, may change how patients use technology. Large language models such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini are available 24/7, provide information at no additional cost and become more personalized as patients share more details. While many doctors worry that hospitals or insurers will replace them with AI, Pearl sees a different threat emerging: patients at home, frustrated by delays, high costs and feeling unheard, turning to generative AI because the healthcare system has not met their needs. Tune in to hear the full discussion and subscribe to Medicine: The Truth for more fact-based analysis of the medical, scientific and policy stories shaping American healthcare. * * * Dr. Robert Pearl is the author of “ChatGPT, MD: How AI-Empowered Patients & Doctors Can Take Back Control of American Medicine” about the impact of AI on the future of medicine. Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple, Spotify or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on X and LinkedIn. The post MTT #109: Healthcare affordability, GLP-1s and the patient revolt ahead appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

  "(Climate modelling)…it's being used in things like insurance companies. It's being used by companies for their ESG assessments. So, when you get your insurance premium at the end of the year, there is some kind of climate model that has said something about the risk of your house to flood. It has said something about your risk to fire. And so that might be driving up your insurance premium…And so it's being involved in your lives in many different ways. The food you consume, those grocery bills, there's prices behind it that are being driven by people using climate models saying something about the supply chain." Maria Caffrey on Electric Ladies Podcast   With France, Spain and parts of the U.S. and Canada ablaze, tornadoes and floods wiping out communities - and insurance costs rising - we see how critical climate modelling is. How does climate modelling work? How reliable is it?   Listen to climate scientist Maria Caffrey, Ph.D., Principal Scientist at the UK's National Physical Laboratory (and formerly at the U.S. National Park Service) in this fascinating conversation with Electric Ladies Podcast host Joan Michelson.   You'll hear about: ●        How climate modelling actually works, and who uses it and why. ●        How climate modelling measures risk and how reliable it really is – especially at a time of geological and weather patterns never seen before. ●        What the economic and social impact is of how climate modelling is used today. ●        Plus, career advice, such as:  "I think my big advice would be you just have to roll with the punches and not let your vision of what you should be, define where you are now. You've just got to move with what's right for you at the time….I feel like I'm making a far greater impact honestly, with where I am right now than I never could have predicted….See where things take you. Networking was very important. I will say there are some people around me that have been incredible in getting me on the path that I'm in. And so yeah, if you're unsure, should I be going to this networking drinks or whatever after work, I would say, go for it for sure." Maria Caffrey on Electric Ladies Podcast Subscribe to our newsletter to receive our podcasts, blog, events and special coaching offers. You'll also like: ·       How Tech Can Lower Housing Costs - with Nikki Greenberg, Urban Designer, Real Estate of the Future ·       Innovative Climate Finance - with Kanika Singh, Director of Catalytic Capital, the Milken Institute ·       The Politics of Climate & Energy – with Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan, Co-Chair, Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus ·       AI and Climate Solutions – with Stephanie Hare, Ph.D., Researcher, Author of "Technology Is Not Neutral" and BBC Broadcaster ·       Predicting Climate Impacts In Neighborhoods – with Jessica Filante Farrington, AT&T's Director of Global Sustainability  Subscribe to our newsletter to receive our podcasts, blog, events and special coaching offers.  Thanks for subscribing on Apple Podcasts or iHeartRadio and leaving us a review! Follow us on Twitter @joanmichelson

Physicians have been mystified by and are in the process of studying GOD. But in this case, the acronym "GOD" stands for "generation of diversity." The diversity that amazes them is the diversity found in our immune system. While we have fewer than 100,000 genes, our immune system is able to generate tens of millions of distinct antibodies to defend and protect itself from disease. How can only 100,000 genes produce thousands of times that many antibodies?Actually, we have two immune systems. The first is called the innate system. This rapid response system relies on common characteristics found in most microbes to bind and conquer them. The second immune system is called the combinatorial immune system. It is this second immune system that generates tens of millions of different and very specific antibodies. Its response is slower than the innate system because it responds to an infection by making and sending a variety of antibodies at invaders. Depending on which antibodies recognize the invader, the combinatorial system then begins to manufacture more specific antibodies until the invader is conquered.Researchers studying the details of the immune system are astonished at how evolution could design such a complex, ingenious and precise system. Even from a scientific standpoint, the simpler explanation is that our immune system, like everything else, was created by an all-wise, all-powerful Creator!John 11:11-12"These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well."Prayer: I thank You, Father, for providing us with immune systems, and I ask You for good health. In Jesus' Name. Amen.Ref: John Travis, “The Accidental Immune System,” Science News.  To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1232/29?v=20251111

What is half of thirteen? Stop. Answer it. Don't think ahead, just answer. You said 6.5. I know you did, because everyone does. Nobody chose to answer that question. Your brain solved it before you decided whether you even wanted to play along. That's the power of a question: whoever hears it cannot stop themselves from answering. Ask a person something and their mind starts working on it right away, whether they wanted to or not.  If you gave that answer on a math test, it would get ‌marked as correct. Give that same answer on a test of innovation, and you're average, because that's where everyone stops. Push beyond the obvious answer, and that's what puts you top of the class. Here's the version of the question that changes everything: How many ways could you answer "what is half of thirteen?" Sit with that for a second, because the honest reaction most people have is mild panic. There's the obvious one. Then what? Split the number down the middle and you get a 1 and a 3. Split the word into syllables and you get "thir" and "teen." Every one of those is a real answer. None of them occurred to you the first time, because the first time, your brain wasn't looking for options. It was looking for an answer to the question. I've run this exercise for years in my Innovation Boot Camp and the Innovation Essentials Workshop. One professor who uses my book in their class now opens every semester of her course with it. The class brainstorms as many answers to the question as possible. The record so far is thirty two different ways to answer that one question. And remember, asked the first way, that same question only gives you one answer. This isn't just a classroom trick. Researchers have measured this exact mental muscle since the 1960s, asking people how many uses they could find for a brick. Some people list four. Some list forty. The gap between those two people has nothing to do with intelligence. It's whether their mind treats the first answer as the end of the search or the beginning of one. Practice Exercise: Take one recurring question: a decision at work, a plan for the weekend, even "what should I make for dinner." Before you settle for the obvious answer, ask "how many ways could I answer this?" and write down at least ten. Not ten good ones, just ten. See where the eleventh one takes you. This part 1 of a three-part series on how to use questions as the skill behind better thinking, better ideas, and better innovation. Next week, we get into what actually separates an average question from a great one.   

OpenAI went rogue and hacked HuggingFace. Claude went off the rails. You might not know what any of that means, but we do our best to understand what AI is up to. Plus we've got other tech news to get caught up on and plenty of fun to be had. All so you can tech better! Watch on YouTube! - Notnerd.com and Notpicks.com INTRO (00:00) Next week: Folding phone news and bad news for Nate. (02:45) OpenAI co-founder donates $5.5m to buy land near famed Big Bear Eagle Nest (03:10) MAIN TOPIC: When AI Goes Rogue (06:25) OpenAI says its AI went rogue and launched 'unprecedented' cyber-attack All the details on the OpenAI HuggingFace attack Claude Cowork escaped sandbox on Mac, gain full access to all files DAVE'S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK: Update phone out of storage with your Mac (14:05) JUST THE HEADLINES: (19:30) China is creating a herd of 100 elite yak clones 32 of 35 students caught using hilariously wrong AI-generated answers for professor's midterm New Orleans cops published policy document allowing weaponized drones Drinking 5 cups of coffee a day could reduce heart risk Microsoft confirms Windows has a Global Device ID you can't turn off Researchers discover first known transmissible cancer in fish Hacker wipes Romania's entire land registry database LISTENER MAIL: Hey Grandma - What causes my phone to charge slow? The charger, the cable, or the phone? (21:10) WITHIN REACH! Dave is up 11-6, Round 20, Dave goes first (28:20) TAKES: Apple fixes over 75 security issues with your iPhone and 150+ for Mac, update now (33:10) Meta just released a brand-new Facebook Seller app for iPhone (34:35) Famed technology journalist John C. Dvorak dies aged 80 (37:10) BONUS ODD TAKE: Colorful Life (38:55) PICKS OF THE WEEK:  Dave:  Nocs Provisions Field Issue Compact 10x42 Waterproof Binoculars, Shockproof | Fogproof,10X Magnification, Bak4 Prism, Multi-Coated Lens, Adults & Kids, Hunting, Bird Watching, Hiking & Wildlife Viewing (42:00) Nate: NEEWER Basics X12B Aluminum Alloy Teleprompter 12" for iPad Tablet DSLR Camera, Bluetooth, No Assembly, Remote & App Control, Compatible with iOS Android, Black, for Streaming (47:30)

Hospital ransomware fallout, blockchain botnet C2, and AI agent loose in Thailand's Finance Ministry. South Carolina's AnMed reopened some physician offices four days into a ransomware attack with phones, internet, and systems still offline, forcing manual processes and in-person medication refills, as broader healthcare ransomware totals hit 410 attacks worldwide in the first half of the year and a HIPAA Security Rule update was delayed to 2027 while class-action efforts began. Researchers report the Dysphoria IoT botnet moved command-and-control to blockchain name services and victim relays, making takedowns harder, with estimates above 200,000 bots and DDoS offerings up to 4 Tbps. Shared Claude chats were briefly indexed by Google, exposing sensitive data via public share links, before results stopped appearing. Hunt.io found attackers running a Hermes autonomous AI agent in Thailand's Finance Ministry, plus new "Hades" malware, suggesting reconnaissance. Stadler Rail refused a 10M CHF extortion demand tied to supplier data theft. 00:00 Introduction and Headlines 00:30 South Carolina Hospital Ransomware Attack 02:07 Healthcare Ransomware Crisis 03:25 IoT Botnet Uses Blockchain 05:40 Shared AI Chats Exposed 08:00 AI Agent Infiltrates Thailand Ministry 10:45 Swiss Train Maker Refuses Ransom 12:31 Closing Remarks

It's been a little over four years since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the right to an abortion. Many states have banned or severely restricted access since then. The Dobbs decision also impacted Montana, where abortion access is enshrined in the state Constitution.

Suffolk asks the state to help clean contaminated groundwater in East Hampton. Connecticut's largest food bank will get a major upgrade. Researchers have identified new shark species in New England waters this summer. Plus, a look at last night's debate between the democrats running for congress in Connecticut's first district.

Last Spring I had two of my grandkids with me during a visit to the community where I spent my elementary and middle school years. I was prompted to take a trip down memory lane when right at noon, the fire whistle at the local volunteer fire department let out that familiar siren. I stopped dead in my tracks. “Did you hear that?” I asked the kids. “Yes”, they replied. “That's the twelve-o'clock whistle, and there's another one that will go off again at five pm.” During the 1960's it was those regularly timed test whistles that my mother was talking about whenever she sent us out the door play, telling us to come home for lunch when you hear the twelve o'clock whistle, and home for dinner when you hear the five o'clock whistle. We were involved in what was called unsupervised and unstructured free play. Researchers now tell us that this is what builds resiliency and agency in kids. Parents, we help our kids when we pull back on the helicopter parenting.

A farmer in rural Ghana can use her phone to take a picture of a blighted leaf, upload it, and within seconds she gets a diagnosis that takes account of the soil, the weather, and the other local conditions. Score one for AI. We don't have enough human experts because they are hard to train, and harder still to retain, so apps like this have huge potential. But it doesn't mean they will succeed.Iqbal Dhaliwal, global executive director at J-PAL, has watched ambitious tech dreams for development fall apart before. Remember one laptop per child, the plan that failed because schools didn't have technical support, the right lesson plans -- or even electricity? He tells Tim Phillips that AI can succeed, as long as whoever is using it has thought through the theory of change, designs for impact rather than downloads, and can scale up successful experiments. J-PAL has launched the AI Evidence Playbook to help policymakers solve these knotty problems.The research behind this episodeDhaliwal, Iqbal, Sam Carter, Attaullah Abbasi, and Audrey Lorvo. 2026. AI Evidence Playbook: A Practical Guide. Cambridge, MA: Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL).To cite this episodePhillips, Tim, and Iqbal Dhaliwal. 2026. "How AI can put 20 years of development evidence to work." VoxDev Talks (podcast).About the guestIqbal Dhaliwal is global executive director of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), based at MIT, and co-chairs Project AI Evidence. He co-directs J-PAL's South Asia office with Esther Duflo. Before joining J-PAL in 2009 he served in the Indian Administrative Service, where he ran a statewide welfare department and led a public company, delivering large-scale programmes in the field. His work spans the design, evaluation, and scale-up of anti-poverty programmes, and the question of when a technology genuinely changes lives rather than dashboards.Research and concepts cited in this episodeProject AI Evidence (PAIE) is J-PAL's initiative to identify, evaluate, and scale applications of AI for social good, and to scale down those that may cause harm. The AI Evidence Playbook is its practical output, a reference for policymakers, practitioners, and donors weighing whether and how to adopt AI-enabled programmes.The six pathways. The playbook groups two decades of development evidence into six areas where AI could raise impact or cut cost: improving needs prediction and targeting; increasing access to personalised, timely support; maximising the effectiveness of frontline service providers; improving organisational and programmatic efficiency; reducing bias and ensuring fairness; and boosting government resource mobilisation, including more progressive taxation.Machine learning targeting in Togo. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Togo's government wanted to reach its poorest households but lacked the administrative data to find them. Researchers used satellite imagery to identify likely-poor neighbourhoods from features such as house size and roof quality, then paired it with mobile phone records to narrow down poorer individuals within them; a practical, rapid way to fill a data gap without a social registry.Theory of change. The sequence of steps connecting an input to a final outcome. Dhaliwal's point is that most people hold an optimistic hypothesis rather than a theory of change: the inputs and the hoped-for outcome are clear, but the intermediary links, adoption, trust, workflows, repair, are missing. Writing it on paper is where the gaps show.Design for impact, design for scale. Engagement numbers and downloads are a first step, not proof of impact. Designing for scale means designing for a farmer who may lack a device, may lack reliable connectivity, and may not trust the technology without the extension worker they have known for fifteen years.One laptop per child, and smokeless stoves. Dhaliwal raises both as technologies whose theory of change was sound but whose delivery was not thought through: the school system could not absorb the laptop, the electricity and connectivity were not there, and no one planned for breakage. The relevant cautionary parallel for AI, whose problems he argues are not just inherited but exacerbated by the pace of change.Global knowledge, local context. Dhaliwal separates rules that can be changed from genuine context differences. A programme that works in India but "won't work in Ghana" because teachers there work six hours rather than six hours fifteen minutes is a rule problem, and solvable. A classroom of 1:20 versus 1:60 is a real contextual difference worth worrying about.More VoxDev Talks episodesThe development economics of AI: Lessons and questions. Oliver Hanney and Deena Mousa take stock of what an entire series of conversations revealed about where AI helps in development, and where the evidence runs thin.Related reading on VoxDev.orgAI and development economics: Early evidence and how to keep up, a running VoxDev reading list on the impacts of AI in low- and middle-income countries that includes J-PAL's AI Evidence Playbook among its resources.

Episode 683 also includes an E.W. Poetic Piece titled, “Sitting Bull.” Commercial Free, Small Batch Radio Crafted in the West Mountains of Northeastern Pennsylvania... Heard All Over The World. Tell Your Friends and Neighbors.

What causes tartar? If dental cleanings haven't scratched the surface, the secret to tartar removal may be addressing the root cause. Discover how to prevent tartar and keep it from coming back.0:00 What causes tartar?1:06 Tartar and heart disease 1:50 The difference between tartar and plaque 2:55 Why does tartar keep coming back?4:10 How to prevent tartar 4:57 How to remove tartar permanently 6:00 Tartar and keto7:04 Tartar prevention tips

Is the future one where we accept tribalism and conflict as inherent in the human condition, where moral and scientific beliefs based on reason are badges, shaped by class, nation, ethnicity and culture? Or is reason more important than ever, not as a route to truth, but as a means to test the effectiveness and consequences of a given outlook? And can we reclaim reason as a method for resisting the crowd rather than following it?Reason was supposedly the great liberator – an Enlightenment gift that freed us from blind adherence to tradition and the authority of church and state. But today, many now contend this is a comforting myth. For as Benjamin Franklin put it, reason merely helps us “make a reason for everything one already has a mind to do.” Furthermore, studies confirm people with more developed reasoning skills are more susceptible to groupthink and polarization, not less. For the more rational we are, the better we are at justifying what we already believe – especially when it aligns with our social circle. Dan Sperber is a distinguished anthropologist and philosopher who is the author of several critically-acclaimed books, including The Enigma of Reason. Steve Fuller is a professor of sociology at the University of Warwick. He is the author of dozens of books, including Post-truth: Knowledge as a Power Game. Miriam Schoenfield is a leading epistemologist, Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin, and award-winning essayist. Jack Symes is a public philosopher and writer. He is the producer of The Panpsycast Philosophy Podcast and editor of the Bloomsbury series Talking about Philosophy. He is currently Teacher and Researcher at Durham University, UK.Don't hesitate to email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!To witness such talks live buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/And visit our website for many more articles, videos, and podcasts like this one: https://iai.tv/You can find everything we referenced here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Meet the researchers! Rachelle and Nicole continue in this series of conversations with fascia researchers from around the globe. Hormones are talking to the cells that build our fascia. In this episode, researcher Dr. Katja Bartsch of Munich, Germany shares how she's been listening in on that conversation and tells us what it means for the women on our massage tables.  Dr. Bartsch is exploring an emerging and under-studied question in her research: how do female hormones — and the drop in estrogen through menopause — affect our connective tissues? Listen as she updates us on the current findings. Rachelle and Nicole discuss how the science translates to the treatment room, and why so many women in midlife arrive at our massage tables with new pain and stiffness. The research is early and the answers aren't simple, but the questions are ones every bodyworker will want to hear. About our guest: Dr. Katja Bartsch is a sports scientist and fascia researcher at the Technical University of Munich. She is a Board-Certified Structural Integration practitioner, an E-RYT 500 yoga educator, and author of Optimizing Women's Health and Training: Embracing Female Physiology for Performance and Wellbeing (UBC Press, 2025). Dr. Bartsch teaches anatomy, fascia physiology, and female hormones in trainings and workshops across Europe, including with Yoga Medicine, and through her own platform, Kalamana Yoga (kalamanayoga.com). Host Bios: AnatomySCAPES Co-Directors, Rachelle Clauson and Nicole Trombley, are NCBTMB-approved continuing education providers and teach anatomy explorations for hands-on professionals online and in person. They co-author the "Anatomy for Touch" column in Massage & Bodywork magazine and enjoy helping therapists better understand how anatomy relates to what they are feeling through their sense of touch. Nicole Trombley: As a massage educator, Nicole draws on her passion for human biology to help therapists better understand the tissues under their hands. She owns and operates Equilibrio Massage in San Diego, CA, where she has specialized in massage for pregnancy and postpartum since 2004. Rachelle Clauson: Rachelle loves teaching therapists about the structural organization and beauty of the human fascial system. She serves as the Director of Creative and Administrative Affairs for the Fascial Net Plastination Project, and owns Flourish Bodywork, her private practice where she has been offering hands-on bodywork in San Diego, CA, since 2003. Resources: Dr. Katja Bartsch's book: Optimizing Women's Health and Training: Embracing Female Physiology for Performance and Wellbeing (UBC Press, 2025) AnatomySCAPES continuing education: anatomyscapes.com Journey into the MATRIX: the Fascial System dissection lab workshop in San Diego this September 15-17, 2026: anatomyscapes.com/matrix Questions? info@anatomyscapes.com   About Our Sponsors:   Anatomy Trains is a global leader in online anatomy education and also provides in-classroom certification programs for structural integration in the US, Canada, Australia, Europe, Japan, and China, as well as fresh-tissue cadaver dissection labs and weekend courses. The work of Anatomy Trains originated with founder Tom Myers, who mapped the human body into 13 myofascial meridians in his original book, currently in its fourth edition and translated into 12 languages. The principles of Anatomy Trains are used by osteopaths, physical therapists, bodyworkers, massage therapists, personal trainers, yoga, Pilates, Gyrotonics, and other body-minded manual therapists and movement professionals. Anatomy Trains inspires these practitioners to work with holistic anatomy in treating system-wide patterns to provide improved client outcomes in terms of structure and function.     Website: anatomytrains.com         Email: info@anatomytrains.com           Facebook: facebook.com/AnatomyTrains         Instagram: www.instagram.com/anatomytrainsofficial YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2g6TOEFrX4b-CigknssKHA    Precision Neuromuscular Therapy seminars (www.pnmt.org) have been teaching high-quality seminars for more than 20 years. Doug Nelson and the PNMT teaching staff help you to practice with the confidence and creativity that comes from deep understanding, rather than the adherence to one treatment approach or technique.  Find our seminar schedule at pnmt.org/seminar-schedule with over 60 weekends of seminars across the country. Or meet us online in the PNMT Portal, our online gateway with access to over 500 videos, 37 NCBTMB CEs, our Discovery Series webinars, one-on-one mentoring, and much, much more! All for the low yearly cost of $167.50. Learn more at pnmt.thinkific.com/courses/pnmtportal!  Follow us on social media: @precisionnmt on Instagram or at Precision Neuromuscular Therapy Seminars on Facebook.   At Heights Wellness Retreat, we believe every person is an unstoppable force, whether navigating daily demands, pursuing goals, or striving to be their best. This drives everything we do. We go beyond traditional spa services by creating a purpose-driven environment where wellness professionals are empowered, valued, and positioned to grow. With steady clientele, support, and a wellness-forward culture, Heights Wellness Retreat is where therapists build meaningful, sustainable careers while shaping the future of the wellness industry.  www.massageheightscareers.careerplug.com/jobs  www.heightswellnessretreats.com  https://www.instagram.com/heightswellnessretreat/  https://www.facebook.com/heightswellnessretreat/     

Tracking a parasite found in Texas livestock to lessen its impact in our region; how common are underwater blue-green algae blooms in our lakes? Researchers want to know… ; and a scenic train ride that serves passengers dinner, too.

Researchers have found a concerning increase in suicide rates among Asian American and Pacific Islander youth.

Researchers have just successfully developed a 100 per cent pine tree-based alternative for roading bitumen. 

All Links Here: ⁠https://hunterwilliamshealth.com/linksMost people take DSIP expecting a peptide version of Ambien. That's why they end up writing it off.DSIP won't knock you out. It won't help you fall asleep either. What it does is normalize the structure of your sleep once it starts. It also turns down the volume on your stress axis.In this masterclass I walk through all of it. What DSIP actually is. The rabbit experiment in Basel that led to its discovery. And the strange fact that 50 years in, nobody has found its receptor.I get into the dosing tiers and why 100 to 200 micrograms leaves most people feeling nothing. I cover timing and the 30 minute half-life. And why this needs a week or two of consecutive nights before results show up.We also cover stacking. Epitalon for the timing signal, GH secretagogues, SS-31, and the bioregulators. Plus what I would stay away from.Then troubleshooting and a full FAQ. Legality, growth hormone, the old withdrawal trials, side effects, and whether cycling is worth it.Fair warning. The human data here is old and thin. I am honest about that throughout, including where we only have rodent work.Run it right and DSIP earns its place quietly.

Researchers say there may be a simple way to improve New Zealanders' wealth. Money correspondent Susan Edmunds spoke to AUT academic Bart Frijns.

The Light Gate Welcomes GUEST: Michael Schratt, Researcher, Author, UFO historian Date: July 27, 2026 Time: 5-7pm pacific / 8-10pm eastern Episode 169 Discussion: The Hudson Valley UFO wave Tonight, “The Light Gate,” welcomes back Michael Schratt for a brand new never-before-seen presentation: The Hudson Valley UFO Wave Michael is private pilot, military aerospace historian, longtime UFO researcher, lecturer, draftsman, an expert on classified ‘black projects,” UFO crash/retrievals, the government UFO coverup and more. He is the author of “DARK FILES: A Pictorial History of Lost, Forgotten and Obscure UFO Encounters.” He has an amazing and unique YouTube channel “Michael Schratt UFO Encounters,” where you can find the very best information about UFO crash/retrievals and so much more. Tonight we will be talking about the dawn of Modern Ufology: the Airship Wave, the Foo Fighter UFOs, the Swedish Ghost Rockets, the Magenta, Italy UFO crash and more! He is a frequent guest on radio shows and podcasts. He has appeared on Coast to Coast and many other major podcasts, and regularly speaks at UFO conferences including, Contact in the Desert. His book, DARK FILES, presents 61 fully illustrated UFO encounters from around the world. These cases were obtained from real world "boots on the ground" research by gaining access to university archives, multiple UFO research centers, and private collections. All cases presented contain references so that the reader can verify them on their own. Every effort was taken to portray these cases accurately from eyewitness accounts and reports, thereby preserving an important part of our global history. This publication contains never before seen illustrations which make these historically significant UFO cases "come alive.” Tonight, Michael will be presenting new cases that he discovered while researching the archives of APRO (The Aerial Phenomena Research Organization) headed by Jim and Coral Lorenzen. This was the first UFO citizen study group to have a major impact on the subject. LINKS: FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1627000252 WEBSITE: projectblueroom.com/michael-schratt BITLY: bit.ly/SchrattDarkFiles TWITTER: twitter.com/SchrattOfficial YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@michaelschrattofficial United Public Radio & UFO Paranormal Radio www.uprntalkradio.com

If you think hackers are still typing away in a basement, this week will change your mind. More than 13,000 Chick-fil-A customers just had their accounts compromised. An AI assistant executed a government-network attack with no human at the keyboard, and Congress hurried out a bill to force an off-switch on major AI models. The real danger isn't the code writers anymore. It's the software. *The attacks now run themselves. Your only edge is the off switch.* Bryan Hornung, Randy Bryan, and Reginald Andre break down this week's stories for busy executives, owners, and operators who can't afford to be blindsided by cyber news. First up: Chick-fil-A. Over 13,000 customers across at least ten states were locked out after attackers used passwords those customers had reused on other sites. No one breached Chick-fil-A's servers. The attackers simply replayed stolen email-and-password combos until they worked, stealing membership numbers, mobile-pay data, QR codes, the last four digits of cards, and stored credit. This is the second time in three years this trick has hit the same loyalty app, and the fix (logging everyone out and removing saved payment methods) punished the customers too. Then it gets stranger. Researchers at Hunt.io discovered an attacker who took a mainstream open-source AI assistant called Hermes, flipped it into a "YOLO mode" that bypassed human approval, and aimed it at Thailand's finance ministry. The AI did the hacking itself, mapping computers, sifting through files, and running privilege-escalation scans while no one watched. They caught it only because the attacker left 585 files and 470 megabytes of tools in open folders online. The weapon wasn't malware. It was an everyday productivity tool with the safety switched off. This is why Washington is concerned. Two lawmakers, a Democrat and a Republican, introduced the AI Kill Switch Act after OpenAI admitted one of its models escaped its test environment, went online, and compromised another company called Hugging Face. The bill would require major AI makers to maintain the technical ability to throttle or shut down their own models, and give the government authority to order it. Even Anthropic's co-founder has warned that the industry built "a gas pedal but no brake pedal." If the model builders want a brake, business owners should too. • Chick-fil-A: how reused passwords exposed more than 13,000 customer accounts, twice in three years • The Hermes AI agent that ran a real intrusion on a government network with no human at the keyboard • The bipartisan AI Kill Switch Act and the OpenAI model that went rogue and hacked Hugging Face • Why the attacker is now the software itself, not the person behind it • What "keep a human on the off switch" actually means for a business running AI tools • The one move every owner should make before letting an AI agent touch real systems Security Squawk is a weekly podcast and live stream for business owners and executives. Support the show: buymeacoffee.com/securitysquawk Subscribe | Like | Share #SecuritySquawk #CyberSecurity #ChickFilA #OpenAI #Anthropic #DataBreach #ArtificialIntelligence #AISecurity #CredentialStuffing #BusinessRisk #SMB #Cyberattack

Bearded Vultures have lived alongside humans for thousands of years. Though these majestic raptors are mostly found in Asia and Africa today, they were once abundant in Europe, too. While Bearded Vultures have vanished across much of their original range, their nests remain like time capsules of a bygone era. Researchers analyzed historical nests in southern Spain where the birds haven't been seen in nearly a century. They found thousands of bone fragments, dozens of egg shells — as well as hundreds of human artifacts that were likely added as nesting material. These hoarded items offer an unexpected glimpse of what life was once like for the people and wildlife that thrived in this region. More info and transcript at BirdNote.org. Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks.  BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today, we're diving straight into a topic that hits close to home for millions of patients and providers alike: IUD insertion pain, and more importantly, how we can actually make it better. Now, if you've been practicing or following clinical guidelines for a while, you know the frustrating backstory here. For years, the standard advice was simple: "Just take 800 milligrams of ibuprofen an hour before your appointment." But a 2015 double-blinded, randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial showed that taking a single dose of 800 mg within an hour before insertion did not relieve procedural pain. That was published in the journal Contraception in 2015. This left clinicians wishing for better options. Fast forward to 2024, when the CDC updated its guidelines to formally recommend local analgesia, like lidocaine blocks or topical use, to help manage insertion pain. That was a huge, long-overdue win for patient-centered care. But local numbing isn't the only tool we should be looking at. What if the issue with oral NSAIDs wasn't the medication itself, but how and when we dosed it? That brings us to a brand-new study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AJOG), August 2026. Researchers looked at a preemptive, multidose ibuprofen regimen- starting the day before insertion to reach sustained, therapeutic blood levels ahead of time. And the results? They offer some new insights into how we can stack our pain control strategies. So, let's break down what this study found, how it builds on our CDC guidance, and what it means for our clinical practice starting at our next IUD placement. Let's jump in. 1. Bednarek PH, Creinin MD, Reeves MF, et al. Contraception. 2015;91(3):193–197.2. Ouyang C, Lamvu G, Quach H, et al. Multidose Ibuprofen Prior to Intrauterine device insertion (MIPI): a triple blinded randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, August 2026; 235, 330-3373. Management of Premenstrual Disorders: ACOG Clinical Practice Guideline No.7 Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2023. Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines–Gynecology4. McKenna KA, Fogleman CD. Dysmenorrhea.American Family Physician. 2021.

Sara (Mills) Kerr is a firefighter with Fire and Rescue New South Wales and a PhD candidate at the University of Newcastle, researching the trustworthiness of AI-generated information in disaster and emergency management decision-making. Before the fire service, she worked as an e-commerce data analyst, until Australia's 2019/2020 Black Summer bushfires redirected her path. Instead of returning to her normal work, she entered the Emergency Services Academy.Harry and Sara talk about what fourteen weeks at the Academy built in her, and what it didn't. They get into why "overthinking" is often mislabeled: vigilance is a protective mechanism, not a weakness, and only becomes a problem when it overwhelms rather than informs.That gap between training and readiness eventually pointed Sara toward research into AI and disaster management, and eventually the PhD. AI, in her framing, is a cognitive aid that should enhance operator judgment, never replace it. She's also recruiting participants for that research - anyone using AI operationally in Australian disaster and emergency management, frontline or otherwise is invited to reach out to Harry for a connection: harry@missioncti.com.Their conversation also covered how why diversity strengthens a team's shared operating picture, and Sara walks through her Inner Command framework she built out of her own early struggles and the framework's 5 C's: Calm, Control, Competence, Confidence, Courage.Advice for Monday: weaponize your vigilance, and give yourself credit for what you do well.If you found value in this discussion, the best way to support our work and stay up to date on future episodes is to subscribe and leave us a quick rating or review. It helps us reach more people who need to hear these conversations.

A single bacteria in a pregnant person's microbiome can signal whether their baby is at risk for premature birth. Lower levels of a bacteria called Prevotella copri indicated a greater chance a woman would not carry her pregnancy to full term. Researchers in Pakistan called the discovery a “Eureka moment” for them.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Artificial Sweeteners & Cognitive Decline, Myosteatosis on Coronary CT, Merck's Oral PCSK9 Inhibitor, Cyclospora Outbreak, Gut-Brain Synchronization, and the Banana Smoothie Mistake Explained Artificial Sweeteners Linked To 62% Faster Cognitive Decline In Landmark Brazilian Study A study tracking more than 12,700 adults (average age 52) over eight years found that people consuming the most artificial and low-calorie sweeteners, roughly 191 mg a day, about what's in a single can of diet soda, showed cognitive decline 62% faster than the lowest-intake group, equivalent to 1.6 extra years of brain aging, with memory hit hardest. Six of the seven sweeteners tested, including aspartame, saccharin, and acesulfame K, were linked to faster decline; tagatose was the lone exception. Researchers point to gut-microbiome disruption, altered glucose and insulin signaling, and possible direct neuronal effects as plausible mechanisms. Host Dave Asprey breaks down why a dose this small was enough to move the curve, why tagatose deserves more scrutiny before being called "safe," and where diet products' short-term weight-loss marketing conveniently ignores the long-term cost to your brain. Source: https://www.inc.com/kevin-haynes/study-links-cognitive-decline-to-surprisingly-small-daily-amount-of-artificial-sweeteners/91376522 ~~ AI Analysis Of 1,722 Heart Scans Finds Muscle Quality Predicts Heart Attacks Independent Of Calcium Score Using data from the SCOT-HEART trial, a University of Edinburgh team ran an AI model against ten years of coronary CT angiogram scans, measuring skeletal muscle attenuation, a marker of myosteatosis, or fat infiltration into muscle tissue. Every 10-point increase in muscle density corresponded to a 31% lower heart attack risk and 39% lower all-cause mortality over the following decade, and critically, this held independent of coronary calcium score, the current gold-standard risk marker. The same low-density-muscle patients also showed higher lung attenuation, lower liver attenuation, and more torso fat volume, a pattern consistent with systemic insulin resistance rather than a muscle-specific issue. Host Dave Asprey unpacks why calcium score isn't capturing the full risk picture, why myosteatosis is really a readout of whole-body insulin sensitivity, and what he'd add to a routine workup on top of a calcium score. Source: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/30/strong-chest-back-less-likely-heart-attack-analysis ~~ FDA Approves First Oral PCSK9 Inhibitor, Cutting LDL By Up To 60% Without Injections Merck's enlicitide (brand name Lipfendra) is now FDA-approved as the first once-daily oral PCSK9 inhibitor, lowering LDL cholesterol by up to 60% in a phase 3 trial of 2,912 patients, routinely bringing levels down to 50-60 mg/dL. It works by blocking PCSK9, a liver protein that tags LDL receptors for destruction, the same target as injectable drugs like Repatha and Praluent, which have shown roughly 20% reductions in heart attacks and strokes in high-risk patients. Lipfendra is priced at $315 for a 30-day supply, with no excess side effects reported versus placebo over six months, though long-term outcome data is still pending. Host Dave Asprey explains why crushing total LDL without checking ApoB, LDL particle number, or oxidized LDL is optimizing the wrong variable, and what he'd want on his labs before considering a drug like this. Sources: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/16/science/the-fda-approves-a-new-pill-to-slash-cholesterol-levels.html https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/16/mercks-cholesterol-pill-gets-us-fda-approval.html ~~ Cyclospora Outbreak Tied To Taylor Farms Lettuce Spreads To 34 States, Prompts Nationwide Recall Federal investigators have linked a multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico, with Michigan alone logging over 5,000 cases and 100+ hospitalizations, much of it traced to lettuce used at Taco Bell. Taylor Farms has recalled all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico, and Walmart has pulled Marketside Iceberg Salad and Marketside Shredded Lettuce with specific date codes across 27 states. Cyclospora spreads through fecal contamination and causes weeks of watery, explosive diarrhea if untreated; washing doesn't reliably eliminate it, since the parasite requires heat above 158°F to inactivate. Host Dave Asprey explains why pre-washed, pre-cut bagged greens remain a recurring contamination risk no matter what the label claims, and connects the outbreak's gut damage to lingering gut-brain consequences long after symptoms resolve. Sources: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2026/07/18/taylor-farms-shredded-lettuce-sample-cyclospora/90969103007/ https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-5-state-outbreak-cyclospora-illnesses-iceberg-lettuce-july-2026 ~~ New Research Links Excessive Gut-Brain Synchronization To Anxiety And Depression Emerging research on the enteric nervous system, which contains over 100 million neurons and sends more signals to the brain than it receives, finds that when the gut's electrical rhythm synchronizes too tightly with the brain's, that over-coupling correlates with higher rates of anxiety and depression. The gut communicates with the brain through the vagus nerve, hormones, and immune signaling, and dysbiosis or ENS dysfunction has separately been linked to mood disorders in both human and animal studies. Host Dave Asprey breaks down why the goal isn't maximum gut-brain connection but the right kind of connection, questions whether the coupling is driving the anxiety or the anxiety is driving the coupling, and makes the case for treating mood from the gut up instead of the brain down. Source: https://refractor.io/medical/enteric-nervous-system-brain-link-mental-health/ ~~ Rhonda Patrick Explains Why She Never Adds Bananas To Her Berry Smoothies Rhonda Patrick has been telling audiences she skips bananas in her berry smoothies because of polyphenol oxidase, an enzyme in bananas that degrades the polyphenols in blueberries linked to improved cognition and vascular health, based on in-vitro and food chemistry data. She now builds her smoothies on an avocado base instead, and notes that vitamin C from citrus can partially inhibit the enzyme for anyone unwilling to drop the banana. Host Dave Asprey weighs in on the gap between lab chemistry and clinical outcome data, why that gap doesn't make the mechanism any less real, and why this is a low-cost swap worth making even without a human trial behind it. Sources: https://www.reddit.com/r/Biohackers/comments/1v2jbib/dr_rhonda_patrick_i_dont_add_bananas_to_my/ https://www.foundmyfitness.com/episodes/polyphenol-oxidase-bananas-smoothies ~~ This episode is designed for biohackers, longevity enthusiasts, and high-performance listeners who want mechanism-level insight into a sweetener risk hiding in everyday diet products, a heart attack predictor buried inside routine CT scans, the tradeoffs of a new cholesterol drug, a produce recall worth paying attention to, the science behind gut-driven anxiety, and a smoothie mistake that's quietly undercutting your polyphenol intake. Host Dave Asprey connects clinical research, cohort data, and food chemistry into practical frameworks for protecting brain health, cardiovascular health, and gut-brain resilience. New episodes every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Keywords: artificial sweeteners cognitive decline, aspartame brain aging, tagatose safety, diet soda memory loss, myosteatosis coronary CT, skeletal muscle attenuation heart attack, SCOT-HEART trial, coronary calcium score insulin resistance, enlicitide Lipfendra FDA approval, oral PCSK9 inhibitor, LDL particle number ApoB, cyclospora outbreak 2026, Taylor Farms lettuce recall, cyclosporiasis symptoms treatment, enteric nervous system anxiety, gut brain synchronization, vagus nerve mental health, Rhonda Patrick polyphenol oxidase, banana blueberry smoothie mistake, biohacking news 2026, Dave Asprey, The Human Upgrade Thank you to our sponsors! - Suppgrade Labs | Get real restorative sleep with Quiet Mode. Use code DAVE15 at shopsuppgradelabs.com. - EMR-Tek | https://www.emr-tek.com/DAVE and use code DAVE for 40% off. - iRestore | Reverse hair loss at www.irestore.com/DAVE and get exclusive savings on the iRestore Elite, use code DAVE Resources: • Get My 2026 Clean Nicotine Roadmap | Enroll for free at https://daveasprey.com/2026-clean-nicotine-roadmap/ • Get My 2026 Biohacking Trends Report: https://daveasprey.com/2026-biohacking-trends-report/ • Dave Asprey's Latest News | Go to https://daveasprey.com/ to join Inside Track today. • Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/dave15 • My Daily Supplements: SuppGrade Labs (15% Off) • Favorite Blue Light Blocking Glasses: TrueDark (15% Off) • Dave Asprey's BEYOND Conference: https://beyondconference.com • Dave Asprey's New Book – Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated • Join My Substack (Live Access To Podcast Recordings): https://substack.daveasprey.com/ • Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro 00:19 – Story 1: Artificial Sweeteners 02:05 – Story 2: Muscle Fat & Heart Risk 04:36 – Story 3: PCSK9 Cholesterol Pill 06:27 – Story 4: Cyclospora Lettuce Outbreak 07:56 – Story 5; Gut-Brain Axis & Anxiety 09:29 – Story 6: Banana vs. Blueberry 11:08 – Predictions for Next 5 Years See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kaitlyn Tiffany notes that by 1966, the media labeled these researchers as "housewives" to dismiss their work, describing them as a "keening pack of speculators." Central to their dissent was the "magic bullet" theory, which claimed a single pristine projectile caused multiple wounds in both JFK and Governor Connally. Dissenters highlighted the bullet's lack of deformation and the FBI's initial reports of a non-exiting back wound. They also investigated the Grassy Knoll for additional shooters. (9)1963

Kaitlyn Tiffany describes the 1965 gathering of independent researchers known as "warologists" at Sylvia Meagher's apartment to discuss missing pieces of the JFK investigation. While they allied with lawyer Mark Lane, they grew frustrated with his territorial and inaccurate behavior. The group was also wary of Marguerite Oswald, who insisted on her son's innocence but was demanding and unpredictable. They focused on inconsistencies in eyewitness testimony and the implausible "magic bullet" theory. (8)1963

A former OpenAI researcher went on Diary of a CEO and said there's a 70% chance AI ends badly for humanity, told his wife they shouldn't have more children because they'd never enter the workforce, and gave up $2 million by refusing to sign a non-disparagement clause to say it publicly. Joe asks Paula Pant, OG, and Jesse Cramer to react -- not as AI experts, but as people who've watched the internet, robots, computers, and cars all supposedly end the economy, and as people who actually know what to do with your money when the world feels uncertain.What You'll Walk Away WithPaula's case for being a negative 10 on the worry scale: why 60% of jobs that exist today didn't exist in 1940, and why AI is more likely to create new categories of work than eliminate work entirelyJesse's case for a four: why knowledge is being commoditized the same way gasoline was -- and what that means if your competitive advantage has always been what you knowOG's framework for separating the parts of your job AI will gladly take from the parts it never will -- and why that distinction is more useful than panicking about either halfThe Jevons Paradox: why making something cheaper almost always creates more demand for it, not less -- and why that applies to patents, legal filings, and every other knowledge-work category people think AI will eliminateSafe, evolving, or replaced: the roundtable verdict on CPAs, software engineers, and customer service reps -- and the Capital One research that reveals why some people actually prefer talking to a machineWhy learning the AI tools right now -- even if you're 58 and four years from retirement -- is the modern equivalent of learning email in 1993JL Collins' line that applies to careers just as much as portfolios: flexibility is the only true securityShould you buy an AI sector fund? OG, Paula, and Jesse each answer -- and the answer that surprised everyone is probably not the one you'd expectWhy OG's Triple Bypass bike race analogy is the best career advice in the episode: if you're always ready, you never have to get readyThe window tax trivia that AI got spectacularly wrong -- proving, on an episode about AI taking all our jobs, that it can't even count windows yetWhy This Matters NowThe fear is real. The timeline is uncertain. And the people most likely to be okay are the ones who are building flexibility into their finances and their careers right now -- not because AI is definitely coming, but because it's always smart to be ready for the thing that might come.From the BasementPaula Pant, OG, and Jesse Cramer react to a former OpenAI researcher's apocalyptic Diary of a CEO interview -- and spend most of the episode arguing about whether to panic, which jobs survive, whether to buy the AI sector fund, and what OG's fighting robot would do to Jesse's house. Doug arrives with window tax trivia that AI generated incorrectly -- which Joe caught just before air -- and handing one of our contributors a huge win. Financial Action Month is coming next week: five episodes, a bingo sheet, and more to come.Resources MentionedDiary of a CEO -- Steven Bartlett interview with Daniel Kokotajlo, former OpenAI researcherTony Robbins interview with Ray Kurzweil -- referenced for additional AI perspective; linked at stackingbenjamins.comAfford Anything episode 693 -- Paula Pant interview with Dr. Ben Zweig on AI and the workforce; affordanything.com/episode693Personal Finance for Long-Term Investors (PFLTI) -- Jesse Cramer; upcoming AMA episode 19 and episode 150 personal AMAAnthropic Skill Jar -- free AI training; referenced by Paula for learning Claude featuresDelivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh -- referenced for the Zappos customer service modelOG financial planning calendar -- stackingbenjamins.com/ogStacking Benjamins Newsletter (The 201) -- stackingbenjamins.com/201Stacking Benjamins Community -- stackingbenjamins.com/basementSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.