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Player availability report, presented by Orlando Health Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute: Orlando Pride at Chicago Stars
Here is this week's player availability report, presented by Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute, for Friday's home match at Chicago Stars
Pitch deck: StoReel startup raised $34M to build AI micro dramas
StoReel describes how it uses AI and a user-generated platform to make micro dramas at a fraction of the cost paid by established players.
Patriots announce updated jersey numbers for signings, returnees
Every player on the Patriots’ roster has now been assigned a number.
Le Bris 'at his brilliant best' to mastermind derby win
Leading up to Sunday's derby at Newcastle, all the talk centred around which of our injured players might be available and it ended up becoming a bit of a distraction from what was actually important - the players who were definitely fit to play their part. While I'm sure Regis le Bris would have loved a fully fit squad, he is not daft enough to get too distracted by the possibilities of having several of his walking wounded involved at the last minute. It meant that while Newcastle were distracted by European football, we were on the training ground figuring out how we were going to walk away from St James' Park with three points.
Superstar Connor McDavid hits multiple milestones in Utah
McDavid became the third-fastest player in NHL history to hit 1,200 points — and that’s not the only milestone he hit on Tuesday.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder + Meetup In Bellabel Park Review
Mario Wonder's Switch 2 upgrade adds neat single-player content, but the real draw is the massive array of multiplayer party games.
2026 NBA Awards predictions: Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year and the awards races to watch down the stretch
PS5 Players Seemingly Skip Marathon as Sales Estimates Look Very Weak
Better hope it's a sprint
New ‘Marathon’ Sales, Playercount Reports Are Close To Reality
New third-party estimates are in for Marathon sales and playercounts, and they are very close to the actual numbers inside Bungie.
Marathon has sold 1.2M copies across Steam, PS5, and Xbox
Alinea Analytics estimates show that Marathon has generated gross revenues of $55M via 1.2M copies sold on Steam, PS5, and Xbox: Looking at the split between Steam, PS5, and Xbox, Steam is clearly the main platform for Marathon, accounting for a little under 70% of the audience (800K copies sold). Meanwhile, PS5 takes about 19% (217K) and Xbox (including console, PC, and cloud) accounts for a bit over 11% or 133K. Marathon is technically a first-party Sony title, so seeing the home console struggle to break 20% of the volume is a notable data point for the ongoing platform-agnostic debate. PlayStation Studios online games will almost certainly continue being multiplatform (despite Sony reportedly pulling back on PC releases). Subscribe for free to get the most accurate games estimates in your inbox twice a week 🫶 Subscribe As for Marathon, the consensus among hardcore players who pushed through the awkward onboarding phase – myself included – is that it’s fantastic. The gunplay, aesthetic, and presentation are among the best in the shooter genre. A great game doesn’t always equal an immediate hit, though, as shown by our estimates. Things are looking lukewarm right now. But this might be one of those marathon-not-a-sprint situations. Had to, didn’t I? Why wasn’t Marathon a hit on the same level as Arc Raiders? One topic that came up in a lot of conversations at GDC this year was why Marathon hasn’t hit the same stratosphere as Arc Raiders. On paper, they’re both extraction shooters, and Marathon has the Bungie pedigree – the house that built the gold standard for gunplay in Halo and Destiny. Marathon’s neon-futuristic aesthetic also distinguishes itself from the gritty realism of Tarkov or the post-apocalyptic hope of ARC Raiders. But vibes can only get you so far for first impressions if the onboarding feels like a brick wall. Marathon is a sweaty PvP-focused experience with a first-time user experience and UI that I can only describe as dreadful. Players are dropped into a complex ecosystem where the UI, though visually striking, is functionally uninformative, forcing users to manually hover over nondescript, identical icons just to identify basic gear or weapon mods. This lack of clarity is compounded by punishing mechanics like a severe heat gauge for movement and a scarcity of vital resources, all without a clear tutorial or a low-stakes mode to learn the ropes. Most people – even top streamers and veteran shooter players – have no idea what’s going on in Marathon at first. Arc is on the complete other end of the spectrum. As we covered here and here, Arc Raiders offers a more collaborative, approachable loop where players often work together toward shared goals. And the objectives are instantly clear. To many players, this contrast only emphasised Marathon’s issues, especially during the testing period. Players understand the Arc Raiders loop within 30 minutes, while Marathon acts as a massive filter, chewing up newcomers and spitting them out before they can experience the depth of Bungie’s signature gunplay. What I’m getting at here is that the poor first-time user experience of Marathon’s Server Slam likely stifled launch sales, while the opposite was true for Arc. Let’s look at the pre-launch copies sold for each game during their respective Server Slams (launch-aligned) : Looking at the trajectory: Arc Raiders saw a massive 80% jump in copies sold during its three-day Server Slam (day -13 to -11). Players jumped in, realised the water was fine, and immediately opened their wallets. Marathon, meanwhile, saw a 49% increase in the four days following its Slam (Day -7 to -3). At the time of each game’s respective launch, Arc Raiders had nearly double the Steam footprint of Marathon – and word of mouth only continued to grow. Bungie could have had more time to fix the onboarding process had the beta happened earlier. But Marathon launched three days after the beta finished. These factors limited the launch sales quite a bit, I reckon. Marathon has found a niche audience, though Despite the friction-heavy start, the data suggests that those who survived Marathon’s onboarding are loving life. We’ve been tracking cross-platform DAUs, and while there’s the expected post-launch leakage, many players are sticking with it. After peaking at 478K total DAUs on its first Saturday, Marathon has settled into a respectable rhythm, holding 345K DAUs as of yesterday and averaging 380K DAUs across the weekend. Steam continues to do the heavy lifting here, consistently accounting for the lion’s share of the daily players. Players have been putting in the hours, too: On Steam, Marathon’s average playtime has climbed to 27.8 hours, significantly outpacing the console averages on PS5 (16.5h) and Xbox (17.3h). Even more telling than the averages: 22% of the Steam audience has surged past the 50-hour mark, and nearly 7% have already logged over 100 hours. Subscribe for free to get the most accurate games estimates in your inbox twice a week 🫶 Subscribe This data suggests that once the Bungie magic clicks, it hooks players deeper than the average extraction shooter. There’s also started to be a shift in the game’s discourse. Marathon launched as one of those games that’s cool to hate. But as Marathon’s 100-hour club grows, we’re seeing conversations around its mechanical merit outweigh the negativity. Several high-profile creators, who were initially vocal critics, have spent the last week coming around on the mechanical depth of the endgame. It’s a subtle but positive signal; the hate train is losing steam, and a new narrative about the game is emerging. Bungie faithfuls unite Another interesting metric in Marathon’s first few weeks is who, exactly, is playing. Bungie leans heavily on its prestige as the “makers of Halo and Destiny,” in its marketing, and that message has clearly hit the mark. On Steam, the gravity (hammer) of Bungie’s previous work is unavoidable. A staggering 78.2% of Marathon players also played Destiny 2. The trend carries across other platforms, with 74.2% of PS5 players and 82.7% of Xbox players also having played Destiny 2. The Halo legacy lives on, it seems. More on that in a bit. While Destiny 2 went free to play, these numbers still represent a high-intent migration of a fanbase that trusts Bungie’s specific brand of kinetic gunplay and cryptic world-building. The Xbox data adds another layer of legacy. About 85.7% of Marathon players on Xbox have played Halo Infinite, while over half of the Steam audience has spent time in Halo Infinite and 36.1% in the Master Chief Collection (a paid collection of the old Bungie-made legacy games). Interestingly, we see a 55.9% overlap with ARC Raiders on Steam. Overlap is even higher there on PlayStation (60.5%) and Xbox (66.5%). And there’s also significant crossover with Helldivers 2 on all platforms, too. Subscribe for free to get the most accurate games estimates in your inbox twice a week 🫶 Subscribe Bungie has found some of its fans with Marathon, and the challenge now is keeping this engaged in a high-stakes PvP environment when they’ve spent the last decade primarily enjoying the power fantasies of PvE. On that note… Go the full 26 miles? Or cut and run? Time for some could’ve, should’ve, would’ve. These things would have improved Marathon’s performance at launch: A more robust onboarding process, perhaps in the form of a short single-player/PvE campaign. We know Bungie fans love this stuff. A traditional arena-based mode akin to Destiny’s Crucible could have been a bridge for the cautious players who’d have been otherwise deterred by the Server Slam. It’s also a great palate cleanser after getting merked. Introducing a dedicated PvE environment would have similarly diversified the conversation and lowered the barrier for the Bungie faithful who found the pure PvP extraction loop too abrasive. PvE is safer than PvP these days. There’s an argument that a thin PvE mode would have just felt like a budget Destiny, potentially hurting the brand more. But given how dire the FTUE is, I think it would have been a net positive. Any kind of tutorialised loop that demystifies the stakes, really. While there is merit in a studio sticking firmly to a singular creative vision, and going all in on the hardcore extraction loop. Less forgiving is the technical reality is that the user interface and first-time user experience (FTUE) were not at a commercial standard for launch. Subscribe for free to get the most accurate games estimates in your inbox twice a week 🫶 Subscribe In a landscape where player time is oversaturated and the most contested currency, a flawed FTUE is a critical failure point. But it’s not all doom and gloom, as Marathon has an incredible, unique gameplay loop, suggesting that financial success is still attainable if Bungie can pivot effectively. Bungie and PlayStation now face a difficult strategic crossroads, though – one within a challenging games market. They could: Double down on Marathon with a long-term Rainbow Six Siege- or No Man’s Sky-style recovery plan, which is something I heard Last Stand Media’s Chris Maldonado mention last week. While this could be a sunk-cost fallacy in action, it could eventually yield the audience the game’s mechanical depth deserves. Shift focus toward the inevitable Destiny 3 or another project, mitigating the escalating opportunity cost and cutting their losses, so to speak. Doing both is an expensive proposition, given the high overhead and burn rate of operating out of Bellevue, Washington. With Sony recently demonstrating a lower threshold for underperforming studios and projects, the margin for error has vanished. Whatever happens, the next six months will determine whether Marathon becomes a cornerstone of Sony’s live-service portfolio or a cautionary tale of vision exceeding accessibility. I’m hoping it’s the former, because Marathon rocks. As always, hit subscribe to get updates on Marathon and other relevant games. Subscribe Want to get your hands on our data for yourself – for free? We’re offering a free trial of our platform for games companies. Send us a message here, or reply to this email, and we’ll set you up. The last word Reply to this email – or reach out here – if you have any feedback for the newsletter – or want to request a game for us to cover. [Alinea Analytics boasts the most accurate PC and console estimates in the business. Game makers use our platform to understand their audience, keep an eye on the competition, monitor sales trends, and spot new opportunities. We equip game studios and financial institutions with accurate data and the confidence to make smarter, data-driven decisions. Want to talk about all things games market data? We’d love to chat!]
Antoine Griezmann to join Orlando City in MLS when Atletico Madrid season ends: Why 35-year-old is still great
Griezmann, a World Cup winner with France in 2018, joins an influx of star players like Lionel Messi and Son Heung-min in MLS
‘Crimson Desert’ Reviews Go From 51% To 80% Positive In Four Days
Crimson Desert reviews have flipped on their heads once players experienced more of the game and the developer dropped a huge patch.
High on Life 2's Switch 2 release delayed "to better meet not only our high standards for gaming, but yours as well"
High on Life 2, the sequel to the crude and comedic FPS from Squanch Games, has had its Switch 2 release delayed by a couple of months.
March fixture list for Arsenal’s 14 internationals
Following five withdrawals, 14 Arsenal players will be involved in the March internationals, so let’s take a look at when they’ll all be in action.Photo by Michael Campanella/Getty ImagesThe vario...
Former Cardinals players & coaches in the UFL
Keeping the dream alive
Football's greatest showboaters ranked: Ronaldinho, Neymar, Balotelli, Kerlon
We all love to watch the players with the flicks and tricks, the mavericks with the magic manoeuvres. Here, BBC Sport ranks football's top showboaters.
Photos: LSU players impress NFL scouts on Pro Day 2026
NFL scouts gathered at the LSU football practice facility to see 17 LSU players that have declared for the 2026 draft on Monday, March 23, 2026. Players like Garrett Nussmeier,
'Players' of an MMORPG for AI Agents Spontaneously Generated Their Own Religion
SpaceMolt is a new destination for vaguely portentous word salad.
Jensen Huang softens DLSS 5 response, says “I don’t love AI slop myself”
Jensen Huang changes tone on DLSS 5 Jensen Huang has shifted to a softer tone on DLSS 5 criticism, saying he understands why some players reacted
Mexico's Karim Lopez reportedly declares for the 2026 NBA Draft
Lopez could become the first player of Mexican descent selected in the first round.
Finishing a video game can trigger “post-game depression,” study finds
Post-game depression is now being studied as a measurable phenomenon, with researchers identifying how finishing a video game can leave players feeling empty, reflective, and emotionally drained.
Leeds 0-0 Brentford
Paul: Leeds played as if they are frightened of losing rather than trying to win. Chris: Good point in the end - they are a good side pushing for a European place and have good players. Hopefully in the final run-in we will see more of Daniel James, Wilfried Gnonto and Noah Okafor, especially in the home games, to create more goals and keep us in the Premier League.
Crimson Desert Update Makes Control Improvements, Eases The Difficulty
Crimson Desert's latest update introduces early player-driven improvements, including new storage options, combat balance tweaks, and expanded fast travel.
Incredible offer signals Liverpool are all-in on Rio Ngumoha
An incredible offer of a player signals a real intent from Liverpool to go all-in on teenager Rio Ngumoha.Are Liverpool about to go all-in on Rio Ngumoha? They’ve been reluctant to do so this season...
Samsung reverses big S Pen change for Galaxy S27 Ultra after bold experiment fails
Samsung has backed away from one of its more ambitious S Pen experiments for next year’s Galaxy S27 Ultra, choosing to stick with its long-standing digitizer-based input system after testing a radically thinner alternative. According to ETNews, Samsung had been exploring a new pen technology that could eliminate the digitizer layer inside the display. The […]
Scientists Trap Light in a Layer 1,000x Thinner Than a Hair
Scientists have found a way to trap light in an extremely thin layer, potentially reshaping how future photonic devices are built.
Kansas squanders its best player as Darryn Peterson's college career with second-round loss to St. John's
The Peterson era in Lawrence is likely over.
Arizona Diamondbacks Spring Training Gameday Thread, #30 @ Padres
Roster moves The Arizona Diamondbacks made the following roster moves and have 33 players in camp. Optioned to Triple-A Reno: Reassigned to Minor League camp: The first of these is a bit of a surprise. Only yesterday, I was noting how Abner seemed to have the inside track for left-handers job, after the recent meltdowns […]
'Project Hail Mary' blasts off to record-breaking $80 million, becomes 2026's best premiere
'Project Hail Mary' burned through the outer layer of box office projections this weekend, reaching an astounding $80 million in its domestic premiere and $141 million worldwide.
Chappell Roan pushes back after soccer star Jorginho alleges his daughter was mistreated
Chappell Roan pushes back after a Brazilian soccer player says a guard mistreated his young daughter at a hotel. Jorginho says his 11-year-old recognized Roan at breakfast in São Paulo and got...
Your Thymus and Your Healthspan
Our thymus gland plays a central role in the development or our immune system, specifically for supporting T cell development (how these cells got their name, maturation and differentiation in the thymus) and discriminating between self and foreign, non-self antigen proteins with production of dendritic cells. As we age, our thymus gland shrinks—the process known as involution—with progressive change from spongy to fatty tissue, with loss of functionality. But this process, with respect to timeline and extent, markedly varies from one person to the next. And to make things even more complicated, our thymus gland anatomy and precise location in the chest also is highly variable. So the famous Frank Netter diagrams from the 1960s (such as at left below) don’t capture the remarkable heterogeneity that a random set of 12 chest CT scans (below at right). What I consider as 2 landmark papers in Nature this week (here and here) used AI to quantify health of the thymus in 2 large cohorts, and then correlate the metric to a broad array of health outcomes. In this edition of Ground Truths, I’m going to cover three questions: (1) How was thymus health determined by AI?; (2) How is thymus health linked to key clinical outcomes? and (3) Are there ways we can promote a healthy (aka rejuvenate) thymus gland in our later years? Subscribe 1. How was thymus health determined by AI? This was accomplished by extensive work developing and validating an AI pipeline for 2 stages, the first for localization and segmentation of the thymus bed, and the second to quantify a digital marker, termed the thymic health score. There’s a lot to this algorithmic development, so I won’t go into all the details, but just provide a rudimentary outline of what was done. The 1st stage used supervised learning with 2 radiologists reviewing 2,461 chest CT scans. That work trained a 3D U-Net model to automatically identify the thymic bed’s 3D cropped region using center of mass coordinates, which reached 99.8% accuracy. The 2nd stage used a foundation model that was pre-trained with SwAV (which stands for Swapping Assignment between multiple Views), a self-supervised model, that generated a high-dimensional thymus representation of 4,096 features. That compares to the radiology reductionist and subjective scoring of 0 to 3 where 0 means the thymus is fully degenerated and fatty, and 3 is considered dense, intact glandular soft tissue. Notably, the self-supervised learning (SSL) performance was superior to supervised (AUC ~0.75 vs 0.55, respectively) reflecting the shallowness of the 0-3 classifier vs SSL’s holistic, self-taught AI. The thymic health score ranged from 0 to 100, with the highest number indexed to fully preserved thymic health. The algorithmic work extended to explainability with both Shapely value distribution, meaning the model was holistic not relying on any “magic” pixel, and occlusion sensitivity, demonstrating the model’s performance was not affected by ribs, sternum, lung tissue, but rather focused on the thymic bed directly. Below are a few saliency maps from the occlusion sensitivity that indicate the thymic bed focus, not affected by neighboring structures, using the jet color scale. Now the AI was ready for processing ~25,000 CT scans, each over 30 MB files, from the 2 large participant cohorts to provide a thymic health score, it did so in less than 14 hours, which is less than 2 seconds per scan! Share 2. How is thymus health linked to key clinical outcomes? The two cohorts were the National Lung Screening Trial, NLST (N=25,031) and the Framingham Heart Study, FHS (N=2,581) each with baseline demographics and long term follow up of >12 years for health outcomes. From the NSLT, you can see below that increased age and body-mass index were correlated to reduced thymic health. And, overall, men had reduced thymic health scores compared with women. There are a lot of graphs in the paper for outcomes, for both the NLST and FHS cohorts. To simplify the major outcomes, below is a composite Figure with striking reduction of all-cause mortality and for the different causes of death. The results were consistent between the 2 cohorts. For example, the cardiovascular mortality hazard ratio average was 0.57 in NLST and 0.38 in FHS (weighted to be 0.53 for the aggregate). The reduction of mortality also extended to digestive diseases and pulmonary disease (data not shown below). Lung cancer incidence was reduced by 36% for high vs low thymic health (Figure below, with a panel -incidence and b panel-mortality, adjusted for age, sex, BMI, smoking status). Notably, there was a smoker’s paradox: lower incidence and improved survival for lung cancer in smokers who had a high thymus health score. Smoking was associated with lower thymic scores whereas alcohol was not. Higher thymic health was linked to higher HDL cholesterol, lower triglycerides, lower fasting blood glucose, and lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Inflammation biomarkers, such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, were elevated in the people with lower thymic health scores. In their second paper, the same team looked at the relationship between thymic score and outcomes for 3,476 patients receiving cancer immunotherapy. The non-small cell lung cancer progression-free survival was reduced in patients with low thymic health score. A parallel relationship for survival was seen for other types of cancer including melanoma, breast, and kidney with a 44% lower risk among high thymic scores (Figure). A similar pattern was seen with different immune checkpoint inhibitors. The thymus health score outperformed programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1)and tumor mutation burden (TMB) assay of the tumor and was an independent prognostic marker of progression-free survival. In this dataset, a direct connect with thymus score and adaptive immune function was noted with a correlation before cancer treatment for both T-cell diversity and thymus T-cell production (a metric known as T cell receptor excision circles). Thymus Removal Study There is a highly relevant citation about thymus function before moving onto ways to rejuvenate it. In 2023, a very important study of thymus removal during cardiothoracic surgery was published, with 1146 patients undergoing thymus removal vs 1146 matched controls (mean age 55 years). The adverse outcomes for thymus removal were striking, with a 2.9 higher risk of all-cause mortality and doubling of cancer incidence, 1.5 fold increase in cancer mortality, and 1.5-fold increase in autoimmune diseases. The immune function showed marked compromise after thymus removal, as reflected by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells (Figure below) Share Ground Truths 3. Are there ways we can promote a healthy (aka rejuvenate) thymus gland in our later years? In recent months we’ve learned a lot about the process of thymus involution and the pathways by which this may be modulated. Thymus involution is primarily due to loss to thymus epithelial cells (TECs) and there are 2 subtypes with different functions: the cortical, responsible for positive selection of T cells, and the medullary, for negative selection. When adipose tissue infiltrates the thymus, thymic adipocytes are pro-inflammatory, knocking out T-cell output. Likewise, systemic inflammation, or “inflammaging,” from smoking, obesity, and chronic stress promote thymic adipocytes. Now, from preclinical studies, we know about key pathways that account for these processes. Historically, back in 2014, FOXN1 was recognized as a single master transcription factor essential for TEC function, with studies in mice with forced FOXN1 upregulation leading to thymus regeneration. That laid the foundation for potential regrowth of quiescent thymus cells. It took awhile to find pathways to accomplish this goal and to even refute its role as the master regulator. The Liver-Thymus Axis Feng Zhang and his team recently showed that injection of an mRNA vaccine to the liver encoding DLL1, IL-7 and FLT3-L in combination, factors known to support thymopoiesis (Figure), successfully enhanced immune function in aged mice. However, the effect was transient. The FGF21 Story Two reports in 2025 addressed the thymus gland’s production of FGF21, a growth factor (fibroblast growth factor 21) and its control of thymus involution. This growth factor is also produced by the liver, but it doesn’t have impact on the thymus in aged rodent models. In contrast, The liver’s hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has been shown to reverse senescent TEC structural changes. Growth hormone stimulates production of insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the liver and the thymus. Two small studies in human participants (TRIIM, for Thymus Regeneration, Immunorestoration, and Insulin Mitigation) of 6 and 50 people, respectively, treated with combined human growth hormone, metformin and DHEA, suggested the potential of slowing epigenetic aging and improving thymus mass and function. But the combination of drugs, small sample, and lack of controls make conclusions murky. Increased thymus FGF21 led to increased CD8 T cells in old mice and extended healthspan and improved physical performance. Building on the previous FOXN1 data, ablation of β-klotho, the obligatory co-receptor for FOXN1, accelerated thymic aging. The benefit to FGF21 was confirmed in a companion paper using an FGF21 knock-in mouse model showing thymus enlargement and increased TECs throughout the lifespan. (schematic Figure below). The accompanying editorial for these 2 papers speculated: “The proposed link between age-associated thymus involution and organismal aging is intriguing, and suggests we might seek to achieve systemic rejuvenation by counteracting thymic involution.” Other Factors Lessons from the Axolotl (Mexican Salamander) In an elegant set of experiments of the axolotl (Figure), known for its complete thymus regeneration after total surgical removal, mediators were identified. Surprisingly FOXN1 was dispensable. But midkine, a growth factor, appeared to be the driver, the initiator of thymus cell growth, survival, and repair. Other components that contributed were Postn+ (periostin-expressing mesenchymal niches) and Ccl19, a chemokine protein from the bloodstream. RANK and RANKL RANK (receptor activator of nuclear factor κB its ligand (RANKL) have been considered key regulators of medullary TECs. In a study of both aged mice and human thymus cell cultures, their key role was confirmed, with multiple benefits of resorting TEC function, recruitment of progenitor cells, and T cell development. Subscribe Summing Up This body of work strongly supports the health of the thymus gland as a critical regulator of human healthspan, not just a correlate or link. The new landmark studies are reinforced by the regenerative biology experimental models that have shown, via an array of mediators, that healthspan of aged mice is at least in part dependent on thymus gland function and its critical role for maintaining adaptive immunity. It sure seems that we’d be better off having an immune reservoir of naive T cells instead of a profile in older adults of exhausted, low quality, memory T cells, with a senescent phenotype. It is striking that we ignored the importance of the thymus gland for many decades. A wake-up call was the results of the thymectomy matched control study reviewed here, with the opposite of high thymic health score improved health outcomes. The convergence of AI and healthspan here is notable. The exceptional and laborious work for developing and validating (no less explaining) the AI to quantify thymus health set the foundation for probing the connect the major health outcomes in two cohorts with extensive follow-up. We’ve never had a way to meaningfully quantify the thymus gland before, so this represents important leverage of supervised, self-supervised, and transformer models. The study wouldn’t have been possible without AI. And it begs the question as to whether there are ways we can maintain our thymus at a high health score. But it’s not so simple to rejuvenate our thymus. There are multiple risks including the induction of autoimmunity, increasing the risk of cancer, and inducing a pro-inflammatory state. For example, factors that increase TEC proliferation could compromise the medulllary negative selection process and leak out auto-reactive (self-attacking) T cells. Thymic cells could be induced to proliferate, but we know, for example, that growth hormone and IGF-1 are associated with an increase risk of cancer. If thymus rejuvenation doesn’t clear out the accumulated senescent cells in older adults, then inflammation within the gland could block the production of TECs. Keeping these risks in mind, we now have identified many ways to keep our thymus healthy as we age that undoubtedly will be tested in clinical trials going forward. Ultimately, the benefit-to-risk tradeoffs will be defined. In the meantime, we have desperately needed an immunome. As I’ve stressed in multiple prior Ground Truths, we have no test in the clinic to assess a patient’s immune status! It was very encouraging for me to get an email from Hugo Aerts, the senior author of the landmark papers in the days after they were published: “I also wanted to say that your Substack on “Why We Need an Immunome” was inspiring for this work. We found it a very compelling perspective and greatly enjoyed reading it.” Just having an assessment of a person’s immune status via a chest CT scan, with millions of these performed per year, might help in guiding the right immunotherapy for cancer (e.g. more intensive, combinations for those with low thymic health scores) and help define people who are increased risk for age-related diseases of cancer, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative. The main theme of Super Agers is that we now have many layers of data (genetics, proteins, biomarkers, organ clocks that can be integrated via multimodal AI) for us to define a person’s specific risk decades before one of these age-related diseases leads to symptoms, enabling prevention. From the new studies this week, we can add thymus health score as yet another way to understand a person’s risk, a window into their adaptive immune system and healthspan. And perhaps someday we will be able to safely rejuvenate the thymus, or maintain its health through one’s life, and use the thymus health score to monitor. NB: I wrote this post (No A.I.) A Quick Poll Loading... ********************************************************************* Thanks to Ground Truths subscribers (now > 200,000) from every US state and 212 countries. Your subscription to these free essays and podcasts makes my work in putting them together worthwhile. Please join! If you found this interesting PLEASE share it! Share Ground Truths Paid subscriptions are voluntary and all proceeds from them go to support Scripps Research. They do allow for posting comments and questions, which I do my best to respond to. Please don’t hesitate to post comments and give me feedback. Let me know topics that you would like to see covered. Leave a comment Many thanks to those who have contributed—they have greatly helped fund our summer internship programs for the past two years. It enabled us to accept and support 47 summer interns in 2025! We aim to accept even more of the several thousand who will apply for summer 2026.
Syracuse reportedly targeting former player Gerry McNamara as its next men's basketball coach
Bucket hats and home run chains: Getting decked out for baseball season at Poor Boys Sports
From shirts featuring new players to hats in every color, Poor Boys Sports has all your Orioles merch needs for Opening Day.
Team USA flag football team should consider these 12 NFL stars ... but not Tom Brady
These NFL players should consider making a run at Team USA inclusion in order to earn the first football gold medal in Olympics history.
Capcom celebrates Resident Evil's 30th anniversary by promising "even more wonderful experiences" are coming, but doesn't confirm when
Resident Evil series executive producer, Jun Takeuchi, has written to Resident Evil players across the world, thanking …
Scientists Uncover Hidden “Second Layer” in Human DNA
A newly identified cellular system monitors subtle variations in genetic coding, hinting at a hidden level of control over how genes are expressed.
Square Enix announces it will integrate Google’s generative AI Gemini into popular online game Dragon Quest X
Square Enix has found a use for Google’s generative AI Gemini and will be putting it to use in the popular online game, Dragon Quest X. Gemini will be used in-game as a feature that allows players to…
Former, current NBA players sound off on NBA expansion as vote looms
The NBA is moving closer towards expanding to Las Vegas and Seattle. Here's what players think about the move.
Jacob Devaney: Man United loanee puts in midfield masterclass
Manchester United had six players in loan action on Saturday afternoon.To find out where all of Manchester United’s loanees are plying their trade this season, click hereEthan EnnisEnnis played the ...
Recap: Sporting KC suffers 4-1 loss to Colorado
Sporting Kansas City suffered a 4-1 loss to the Colorado Rapids on Saturday at Sporting Park. Shapi Suleymanov scored the lone goal for SKC in the defeat as the visitors prevailed behind a brace from Paxten Aaronson to go along with a goal from fellow Designated Player Rafael Navarro and
The Business of Football: How many players do you need to win a World Cup anyway?
The English FA and the Premier League are having another row, as the club vs country debate rages on in English football
Another Illinois basketball player enters legendary status in NCAA tournament
The Illinois basketball team has had some incredible performances this season, and one player just put up an amazing Round of 32 showing against VCU.
Lakers player grades: Luke Kennard gives L.A. ninth straight win
The Lakers defeated the Magic for their ninth straight win thanks to Luke Kennard's heroics at the end of the game.
Friction without contact discovered as magnetic forces break a 300-year-old law
Researchers have uncovered friction without contact—driven entirely by magnetic interactions. As two magnetic layers slide, their internal forces compete, causing constant rearrangements that dramatically increase resistance at certain distances. This creates a surprising peak in friction instead of a steady rise, breaking a long-standing physics law.
Four-star forward Joe Philon commits to UCLA
Joe Philon, a four-star power forward in the 2026 class, has committed to UCLA, he told On3. The 6-foot-8 senior out of Montverde Academy (FL) chose the Bruins after considering Ohio State, South Florida, UNLV, and Xavier. Philon, a native of Tampa, Florida, is the No. 56 overall player in the 2026 class, according to […]
Wisconsin's Caroline Harvey wins Kazmaier Award as top player
Wisconsin defender Caroline Harvey voted as the winner of the Patty Kazaier Memorial Award for college women's hockey's top player.
Crimson Desert Hears Your Complaints And Will Fix The Controls
Pearl Abyss says its listening to Crimson Desert players' complaints about the complicated controls and will patch in new options ASAP.
Crimson Desert Dev Promises Patch to Address 'Discomfort Many Players Have Experienced With the Controls,' Apologizes for Awful Keyboard and Mouse Experience
Crimson Desert developer Pearl Abyss has issued a message to players addressing complaints around the game’s controls, which have been widely criticized.
Player status report, presented by Orlando Health: Orlando City SC at Nashville SC
Here is the Player Status Report, presented by Orlando Health, for Saturday's away match at Nashville SC
Vanderbilt's Mikayla Blakes is a scoring machine. What to know about her in March Madness
Mikayla Blakes is the fastest player in Vanderbilt history to reach 1,000 career points, hitting the milestone in 42 games.
Lacrosse player-turned-entrepreneur has ideas to fix youth sports
Dan Soviero's Signature Athletics zeroes in on fixing a “broken” system. Its goal is to get 10 million new kids playing by 2030. How can he do it?
Open-world adventure game CookieRun: New World announced for console, PC, and mobile
Devsisters has announced CookieRun: New World, an open-world adventure game based on the CookieRun mobile game franchise with over 300 million players and more than $1 billion in lifetime revenue. …
What Buffy's Nicholas Brendon Said About His Congenital Heart Defect, Cauda Equina Syndrome Before Death
Before Nicholas Brendon died on March 20 at the age of 54, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum and his sister had discussed his health diagnoses, including cauda equina syndrome and a heart defect.
Full circle: Sean McVay collecting former players on coaching staff
Robert Woods joins Brian Allen on Sean McVay’s Rams coaching staff
Nicholas Brendon, Xander Harris on 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer,' dies
Nicholas Brendon, who played Xander Harris in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," has died at 54. His family says the actor "passed in his sleep."
Nicholas Brendon, a star of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer,’ is dead at 54
Nicholas Brendon, who played the character of Xander in the hit ’90s TV series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” has died. He was 54.
Good Sports: El Capitan High School baseball players commit to college together
Cooper Gaoiran and Zach Hunter have always been a package deal. That's been the case for as long as they remember, all the way back to t-ball.
Crimson Desert Players Debate If The Game Secretly Uses AI Art
One painting shows off a terrifying convention of weird-looking centaurs
Crimson Desert developers "doing our utmost" to respond to its various launch issues, as game still passes huge one-day sales milestone
Crimson Desert - the ambitious single player RPG spin-off from Pearl Abyss - has sold through 2m copies following its release.
After weeks of hype, Crimson Desert debuts to high player counts but "Mixed" Steam reviews, citing "disjointed graphics", lovable cats, "awful" UI and more
Pearl Abyss' single player RPG spin-off Crimson Desert released last night, and has had a rocky debut.
Player availability report, presented by Orlando Health Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute: Orlando Pride vs Denver Summit
Here is this week's player availability report, presented by Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute, for Friday's home match vs Denver Summit
"I genuinely thought my controller wasn't working" - Crimson Desert players are getting so annoyed with its clunky controls they're asking for launch day refunds
Crimson Desert is out, and players are already having issues with the game's controls.
Political tug of war over Iranian women's soccer team prompts criticism in Australia
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The United States and Australia’s political tug of war against Iran over the fates of seven members of the Iranian women’s soccer squad appears to have ended with the depleted team returning home minus the two players who defected last week.
2026 Fantasy Baseball: Players we're most excited to draft
Crimson Desert Day One Update Goes Live in Full on PC, in Part on Console — Check Out the Patch Notes
Crimson Desert has launched across all platforms, and with it comes a day one update that makes some significant improvements to the game, some balance changes, and various fixes. Pearl Abyss recommended players download the patch “for the best experience.” Check out the patch notes.
Markiplier to Microdramas: The Ankler x NAB Show’s Future of Entertainment
Share Subscribe Vegas, baby! The Ankler is heading back to NAB Show for a second year in a row — and doubling down on conversations with the smartest people in the industry. From April 18–22, we’re partnering again with the industry’s biggest media and tech gathering to break down the Business of Media and Entertainment as it’s actually evolving: faster, riskier and increasingly driven by new formats, new audiences and new power players. This curated series will bring together top creators, executives and innovators to tackle the forces reshaping the industry — from the AI disruption of Hollywood’s creative ecosystem to the rise of the creator economy, shifting audience behavior and the changing economics of production. We’ll be rolling out more programming in the coming weeks — including top speakers from leading AI studios, prediction markets and beyond — so keep an eye on the Business of Media and Entertainment hub. But first up, we’re announcing two panels about what’s actually working in Hollywood: The Scary-Smart Business of Horror A good scare has become one of the entertainment economy’s most reliable engines. With disciplined budgets, built-in fandoms and global box office upside, horror consistently outperforms. From theatrical releases to streaming-first originals and creator-driven IP, the genre is artistically flexible and financially durable — and one of the last truly communal experiences for Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences. Join YouTube creator Mark Fischbach, aka Markiplier, whose independent feature Iron Lung earned more than $50 million at the global box office, Atomic Monster president Michael Clear and screenwriter Akela Cooper (M3GAN, Malignant) for a conversation moderated by Like & Subscribe’s Natalie Jarvey about why horror travels so effectively across platforms and borders, how studios and independents are building sustainable genre pipelines and why the next wave of breakout franchises may emerge from unexpected sources. Inside the Microdrama Boom Short-form serialized storytelling is having a major moment. Microdramas, social-native series and creator-led narratives are capturing massive audiences with low-cost, rapid production cycles and direct-to-fan distribution. What was once dismissed as niche or experimental is now attracting major platform investment. Moderated by Jarvey, this panel of microdrama creators and executives — including one of the format’s top stars and producers, Kasey Esser, and Dhar Mann Studios’ head of vertical content, Erin McFarlane — examines how format innovation, fandom dynamics and algorithmic discovery are reshaping the economics of scripted storytelling and what traditional studios can learn from these agile models. For sponsorship opportunities, contact Lynne@theankler.com Share
NCAA softens targeting punishment: Committee nixes automatic suspensions for players
After more than a decade of complaints from coaches, the NCAA is eliminating the automatic carryover suspension for first-time offenders
New dispute emerges around Subnautica 2’s early access release
Lawyers for the ousted—and now partially reinstated—leadership team of Unknown Worlds, the studio behind Subnautica 2, are crying foul over news that the game will be released into early access in May. The release announcement earlier this week was made improperly, potentially “damaging the game and sowing additional confusion among the Subnautica community,” the lawyers said in a letter sent on Tuesday to Vice Chancellor Lori Will of Delaware’s Court of Chancery. In their letter, the lawyers also floated the idea of asking Will to find Krafton in contempt of the court’s ruling. The letter was sent just one day after Will’s bombshell ruling that publisher Krafton had breached its contract with Unknown Worlds’ executive team, when it fired them last June. The new issue isn’t necessarily the May early access timeframe, but how the news was announced. The letter and Krafton’s response have not been previously reported. A quick recap of prior events: Subnautica 2 is an unreleased, underwater survival adventure and the most-wishlisted game on Steam. Last year, longtime Unknown Worlds CEO Ted Gill, along with studio co-founders Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire, were fired by Krafton. They swiftly sued, saying the publisher had terminated them to avoid paying out up to $250 million in potential performance-based bonuses. The studio leaders had hoped to earn that with an early access release of the game, which Krafton had blocked. The publisher argued in court that Subnautica 2 wasn’t ready, which the ousted execs disputed. On Monday, Will ruled that Krafton had violated its contract, firing the execs to avoid the performance payouts, and that it had to reinstate Gill and give him full authority over any early access release for Subnautica 2. On Tuesday, IGN reported on a new memo issued that day to Unknown Worlds staff by Steve Papoutsis, the executive Krafton had put in charge of Unknown Worlds after the 2025 firings. In the note, Papoutsis said that Subnautica 2 had passed a key development milestone “last week” and that he and Krafton had determined the game “is ready for Early Access release in May.” This news appeared to catch the lawyers for Gill, Cleveland and McGuire by surprise. On Tuesday night, they sent a letter to Will expressing “serious concerns” about whether it would be possible to forge an agreement with Krafton consistent with the judge’s order. Papoutsis’ memo was a problem, they wrote. He didn’t have the authority to declare anything about Subnautica 2’s release. As of 9am ET on Monday, March 16, the effective date of Will’s order, Papoutsis wasn’t CEO of Unknown Worlds. Gill was. And, per Will’s order, only Gill could make Subnautica 2 release decisions. They continued: Krafton self-servingly announced the launch without any regard to its impact on the game, the team, or the community—let alone this Court’s Opinion. Announcing the release of a game is momentous, and it is typically accompanied by significant marketing activity, fanfare, and community coordination. And most importantly, the announcement is carefully designed to maximize excitement for the game. That entire process was supposed to be driven by Mr. Gill. However, in defiance of the Court’s Opinion, Krafton has now taken that away, further damaging the game and sowing additional confusion among the Subnautica community. The lawyers speculated that Krafton had “intentionally leaked” Papoutsis’ memo and then issued an official statement to confirm the leak. Game File is a reader-supported publication. My reporting is only possible through support from readers like you. To support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe On Wednesday, lawyers for Krafton defended their client in their own letter to vice chancellor Will, saying nothing they did violated her order nor showed contempt: Papoutsis’s message was simply celebrating the UW employees’ efforts toward a past event: Krafton’s pre-Opinion determination that Subnautica 2 was ready for Early Access release. There was nothing improper about conveying the results of the milestone review or thanking the development team for their dedication and talent. They added that Gill could still make his own call about Subnautica 2’s release: In his role as CEO, Gill will be able to assess independently his views on the state of Subnautica 2 and the appropriate release schedule; nothing in Papoutsis’s message alters Gill’s authority or discretion. Vice chancellor Will has not responded to the letters and doesn’t necessarily have to. Both parties were previously ordered by Will to confer this week and submit a proposed judgment consistent with her ruling. The letter from Gill’s attorney’s this week doesn’t indicate whether he would or would not support a May release for Subnautica 2. But it could limit his options. And, if Gill’s lawyers are right, the lack of marketing fanfare around the leak of the May date could dull the launch of the game. Any harm to Subnautica 2’s launch is an extra sensitive issue given the context of the legal dispute: millions of dollars of payouts are on the line, tethered to the scale of the game’s initial performance. In her ruling on Monday, Will noted that there was obvious “bad blood” between Gill’s side and Krafton but that the two would need to work together: “They can—and must—act in good faith to navigate their remaining contractual relationship.” Item 2: A new kind of couch co-op game A highlight of GDC each year is the Alt.Ctrl showcase that features games played with extremely experimental controllers. Perusing this year’s offerings last Friday, I found a game controlled with giant scissors, another with big toothbrushes and one that amounted to dumpster diving. My favorite was Pivot, a co-op game about collectively maneuvering a couch. It was developed by students at the University of Utah’s masters of arts and engineering games program. Players lift and tilt the physical couch in order to control the position of a virtual one. That virtual one is moving through an obstacle course on-screen, while being pursued by a giant skull. Developer Nishant Verma told me at GDC that the couch is made of styrofoam (this became more evident as I watched!) and that the name was a riff on an episode of the sitcom Friends. Item 3: In brief… 🚫 Ubisoft is laying off more than 100 workers at its Red Storm studio, as the North Carolina location known for decades for its Tom Clancy games, ceases in-house game development, VGC reports. 👀 On Monday, Nvidia’s revealed its DLSS 5 AI-driven graphics technology that purports to improve game graphics… and it has been roasted about it by the media and the online gaming public for the remainder of the week. The tech changed the faces of characters in footage from Resident Evil Requiem, Hogwarts Legacy and EA Sports FC, drawing accusations of giving carefully art-directed games the generic look of AI “slop.” Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang had said on Monday that “DLSS 5 is the GPT moment for graphics—blending handcrafted rendering with generative AI to deliver a dramatic leap in visual realism while preserving the control artists need for creative expression.” By mid-week, Huang was telling Tom’s Hardware that the new tech’s critics were “completely wrong” because game-makers could still “fine-tune the generative AI” to suit their game’s aesthetics.
Earthquake scientists reveal how overplowing weakens soil at experimental farm
Plowing, or tilling, is an age-old agricultural practice that readies the soil for planting by turning over the top layer to expose fresh earth. The method—intended to improve water and nutrient circulation—remains ...
Marathon Players Are About To Solve Its Weeks-Long ARG
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Matthew Berry’s Love/Hate from 2026 NFL free agency
Matthew Berry breaks down his Love/Hate players after a bevy of moves in free agency, headlined by new-look offenses in Minnesota, Miami, and Kansas City.
Brady, NFL stars to test flag football skills vs. Team USA ahead of Olympics debut
Are NFL players better than flag football athletes at flag football? We could get the answer at the Fanatics Flag Football Classic this weekend.
Valve has thrown a curveball at Counter Strike 2 with a massive reloading change, forcing players to shake off old habits
Valve has added a bold change to reloading in Counter Strike 2, which is shaking up old habits for players.
Commanders' Chig Okonkwo is ready for a breakout in Washington
Washington Commanders tight end Chig Okonkwo is excited to show the league what he is capable of as an impact player.
Alumna supports students through sports
Alumna Chrystal Starling has built a dynamic career combining sports, education, and youth development. From Hokie student athlete to professional basketball player to assistant principal at a New York charter school, Starling credits writing and the influence of Nikki Giovanni for helping her find her voice and her purpose.
Cryptocurrency and AI industries tested their influence in Illinois. It didn't go well
The artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency industries have suffered a setback as they try to reshape the midterm elections and establish themselves as power players in American politics.
WNBA CBA talks show execs still don't take women seriously. Do they like losing?
WNBA reaches new contract only after owners realized players knew their worth and weren't going to accept less.
WNBA, players union reach agreement; season to start on time, reports say
In the early hours of Wednesday, the WNBA and its players union came together to reach a verbal agreement in the CBA, it will now be passed to the players and the league's Board of Governors for approval.
From The Sports Desk: Venezuela shows why World Baseball Classic matters
And six prime-time players to watch during March Madness.
World Baseball Classic: Kyle Schwarber, Mason Miller among Team USA players to immediately take off silver medals
Player grades: Undermanned Sixers suffer blowout loss to Nuggets
The undermanned Philadelphia 76ers suffer a blowout loss to the Denver Nuggets to begin their 3-game road trip.
Gilgeous-Alexander scores 40 as Thunder clinch playoff berth
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered a 40-point scoring performance as the Oklahoma City Thunder became the first team to punch their ticket to the NBA playoffs with a 113-108 defeat of the Orlando Magic on Tuesday.Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Gilgeous-Alexander saluted the Thunder's resilience after a mixed first-half performance.
Bethesda promises Nvidia's controversial DLSS 5 AI filters will be "totally optional" for players
Bethesda is committed to "further adjusting the lighting and final effect" of Nvidia's DLSS 5 visuals on Starfield following the controversial AI-tech's reveal.
Syracuse.com’s 2026 media day baseball coach poll: Most likely to have breakout season? (photos)
Some key players could be on the verge of making a name for themselves this season.
Iran negotiating with FIFA to move World Cup games to Mexico from US
Iran’s soccer federation is in discussions with FIFA about moving their World Cup matches to Mexico from the United States due to concerns about the safety of their players, Iranian soccer president Mehdi Taj said on Monday.
2026 WNBA mock draft: Players to watch during Women's March Madness
In USA TODAY's latest WNBA mock draft, South Carolina's Raven Johnson makes the top 10, and UCLA's Kiki Rice moves up before Women's March Madness.
China's biggest tech players are piling into the OpenClaw gold rush
China's biggest tech names are scrambling for a piece of OpenClaw after the AI agent created a nationwide frenzy.
Kane's 2 goals lead Red Wings past Flames
Patrick Kane scored twice for Detroit to move into sole possession of fourth place on the all-time goals list for NHL players born in the U.S. and lead the Red Wings to a 5-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on Monday night. Kane has 504 career goals, trailing Mike Modano (561), Keith Tkachuk (538) and Jeremy Roenick (513).
Street Fighter 6 Alex and balance update patch notes
The long content drought in Street Fighter 6 that spanned five months is about to be finally over, and there will be quite a bit for players to sink their teeth into.Capcom just released the official patch notes for ...
Patch Notes 1.20.0
ARC Raiders is a multiplayer extraction adventure, set in a lethal future earth, ravaged by a mysterious mechanized threat known as ARC.
'Buffy' reboot dead at Hulu: Fans disappointed, hopeful for revival
The 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' reboot is no longer moving forward at Hulu. 'This was a moment that I've been waiting decades for,' a disappointed fan told The Times.
2026 NCAA Tournament Midwest Region bracket preview: Predictions, sleepers, players to watch
Breaking down the 2026 NCAA Tournament Midwest Region with predictions, upset picks, sleeper teams, best first-round games and players to watch in March Madness.
Denver Broncos free agency: Top remaining free agents available
The Denver Broncos haven’t made any outside splashes in free agency. However, there are still some players available who would help round out their roster.
March Madness men's tournament analysis: Teams, players to watch
Here's a look at the players to watch, potential Cinderella teams and matchup analysis for each region of the 2026 NCAA men's basketball tournament.
The Bannon Effect and Trumpism in European Politics
Europe is facing a layered far right and racist political movement that is becoming increasingly deeply rooted and expanding its networks.
Did Players Championship fans rattle Matt Fitzpatrick? He has thoughts
Did Players Championship fans rattle Matt Fitzpatrick during the final round at TPC Sawgrass?
2026 Players Championship money: Here's how much every player made
Check out our list of how much money each player in the field came away with at the 2026 Players Championship, played at TPC Sawgrass.
Cells can sense 10x farther than expected and it may explain cancer spread
Scientists have discovered that cells can sense far beyond the surfaces they touch. While individual cancer cells can probe about 10 microns ahead by tugging on surrounding collagen fibers, clusters of normal epithelial cells can combine forces to detect layers as far as 100 microns away. This long-range “depth sensing” helps cells decide where to migrate. Understanding how it works could reveal new targets to stop cancer from spreading.