SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " Person " 3,826 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Reality TV thrives on messy people — but the Taylor Frankie Paul backlash reveals when audiences finally draw the line
Reality TV thrives on turning personal controversy into entertainment, but Taylor Frankie Paul’s backlash shows the line is crossed when audiences can no longer separate what they’re watching from rea...
The Politics of Personal Data
Sociologist Martin Eiermann tracks the intersections of AI and privacy.
Iran building up defenses of Kharg Island to protect against potential US ground attack, sources say
Iran has been laying traps and moving additional military personnel and air defenses to Kharg Island in recent weeks in preparation for a possible US operation to take control of the island, according to multiple people familiar with US intelligence reporting on the issue.
Glyphosate: A story of science, risk, and nuance
In the summer of 2014, a California groundskeeper named Dewayne Johnson started noticing patches of raw, weeping skin spreading across his body. He had spent years applying Roundup, Monsanto’s glyphosate-based herbicide, for a school district, sometimes drenched in it when equipment malfunctioned. By 2014, he had a diagnosis: non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In 2018, a jury awarded him $289 million in damages, later reduced on appeal. Tens of thousands of lawsuits followed. The story hasn’t quieted down. It’s all over the internet, swinging between “this will kill you, buy organic” and “relax, you’re fear-mongering.” Some of that recent chatter stems from an Executive Order protecting glyphosate and its production, which set off intense infighting within the MAHA movement. Some of it reflects a deeper truth: Americans genuinely care about harmful chemicals in their environment (see poll below). And the conversation isn’t going anywhere, with a Supreme Court case involving Monsanto set for this April. Glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup) is one of the most widely used herbicides in the world. But does glyphosate cause cancer? And how much exposure is actually risky? With so much mistrust in institutions and corporations (and some genuine conflicts of interest), making sense of the actual scientific evidence is genuinely hard. Here is a translation of what the scientific evidence actually says. Does glyphosate cause harm? Glyphosate is an herbicide that kills most plants it contacts rather than targeting specific species. It works by blocking an enzyme pathway (EPSPS) that plants and many microorganisms need to produce essential amino acids. Without those amino acids, the plant can’t grow and dies. Glyphosate was first developed by Monsanto in the 1970s and became ubiquitous after the company introduced “Roundup Ready” crops in the 1990s. In 2024, Bayer removed glyphosate from residential Roundup-branded products due to litigation pressure. But today it is still the most widely used herbicide in the world. Farmers also discovered they could spray it directly on crops like oats, lentils, beans, and peas just before harvest to dry them out faster and make harvesting easier. Because of its widespread use, it’s obviously really important to understand if it’s harmful to humans. The key principle: The dose makes the poison The most important concept in toxicology is that “the dose makes the poison.” Sixteenth-century physician Paracelsus articulated what remains the foundational principle of toxicology: sola dosis facit venenum. Water will kill you if you drink enough of it. Aspirin saves lives at 81 milligrams and causes internal bleeding at higher chronic doses. So, at what dose is glyphosate poisonous? The LD50 in rats (the dose that kills half the test animals) is around 5,600 mg/kg body weight. Table salt is roughly 3,000 mg/kg. By that classic measure, glyphosate is less acutely toxic than salt. But some people are exposed to a lot of glyphosate through their work. And among the general public, there are many questions about low-dose, cumulative exposure from multiple sources over long periods. Does glyphosate cause health problems? Cancer Correlation maps are striking, with one analysis finding that 60% of counties that spray the most glyphosate have non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma rates above the national average. But correlation alone doesn’t establish cause, which is why animal and human studies matter. In animals: Rat studies are typically what most fear is rooted in, but most people don’t know the study details on the dosage given to rats. A pooled analysis of the 13 most rigorous rat studies found evidence that very high doses, around 55,000 times greater than typical food residue exposure, can cause certain cancers. In humans: One of the strongest studies followed 55,000 herbicide users over 20 years and found no overall increased cancer risk. There was one signal: among those with the highest use, rates of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) appeared elevated. A broader meta-analysis of 18 human studies also found no overall cancer risk, though a separate meta-analysis focused specifically on non-Hodgkin lymphoma found that people with high cumulative glyphosate exposure faced a 41% higher relative risk compared to those with low or no exposure. These human studies are observational studies (randomized controlled trials would be unethical), and meta-analyses are only as reliable as the studies they pool. But the story seems consistent: at very high exposure levels, there may be some cancer risk. But that’s about as far as the science currently takes us. Emerging research: gut and reproductive health Gut: Because glyphosate targets a pathway that exists in some gut bacteria, scientists have questioned whether it could affect the microbiome. In mice, a 2023 University of Iowa study found that glyphosate altered gut bacterial composition and raised markers of intestinal inflammation. A 2024 systematic review found similar patterns: disrupted gut bacteria and problems with the mucus layer that protects the intestinal wall in mice. Whether this translates to humans is an open question. The human gut is highly variable and resistant, and we don't yet have strong studies confirming the same effects in people. Reproductive health: Animal studies have found that glyphosate-based herbicides can interfere with reproductive hormones, including disrupting egg cell development in mice and reducing the number of eggs available in sheep’s ovaries. However, the doses used in these experiments were high, so it’s not yet clear whether the same effects would occur in humans. On the human side, a 2021 pilot study led by Mount Sinai researchers tested urine samples from pregnant women across the U.S. and found glyphosate in 95% of them. The study also found a possible connection between higher glyphosate exposure during pregnancy and a subtle physical difference measured in female newborns. That said, some connections weren’t statistically reliable and this was a small study. The researchers themselves said more and larger studies are needed before drawing firm conclusions. What do regulators say about glyphosate safety? In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization, classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2A). The classification is worth taking seriously. But, there’s an important distinction: IARC classifies hazard, meaning the potential to cause harm under some conditions. It does not assess risk, which accounts for actual exposure levels and the real-world probability of harm. The U.S. EPA, the European Food Safety Authority, Health Canada, and regulatory agencies in Australia and Japan have all concluded that glyphosate is “unlikely to be carcinogenic to humans” at realistic exposure levels. They’re asking a different question: given how much of this people actually encounter, what is the probability of harm? Your actual exposure is what determines your actual risk. What does glyphosate mean for your daily life? At the grocery store: Food residues are small. The EPA’s acceptable daily intake is 1.75 mg/kg of body weight per day. To hit that threshold from oatmeal alone, a 150-pound adult would need to eat roughly 50 pounds of oats every day. But this calculation addresses only one pathway (food), and we don’t yet have robust tools to measure people’s actual total exposure. If reducing exposure matters to you, organic certification prohibits synthetic herbicides, and organic oat products generally test at lower or undetectable levels. Either way, a diet rich in whole grains, conventional or organic, is far better for your health than one that omits them out of fear of residues. On the farm: Occupational exposure is orders of magnitude higher than consumer exposure. Farmers and farm workers who mix, load, and apply glyphosate-based herbicides, especially without protective equipment, face meaningfully different risk profiles. Proper PPE isn’t optional. Integrated weed management strategies that rotate chemical modes of action are also worth taking seriously, both for health and for long-term effectiveness. If you live near a farm: Spray drift is real. Concentrations near field edges can spike during and after application, particularly on windy days. This is an area where I think public health could really step up and empower rural communities with buffer zones, rather than placing the onus on individuals. But for now, knowing your local agricultural calendar and keeping windows closed during application are the first steps. Bottom line Dewayne Johnson was exposed to glyphosate at levels most people will never encounter, and a jury decided he deserved compensation. That outcome is not evidence that the oatmeal in your pantry is dangerous. But it is a reminder that the dose, the context, and the person doing the exposing all matter enormously. Glyphosate is a chemical tool with benefits, trade-offs, and genuine open scientific questions. Learning to hold that complexity without collapsing into panic or dismissal is, honestly, one of the most useful and hardest things to do in navigating modern health science. Love, YLE Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) is founded and operated by Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, MPH PhD—an epidemiologist, wife, and mom of two little girls. Hannah Totte, MPH, is an epidemiologist and YLE Community Manager. YLE reaches more than 425,000 people in over 132 countries with one goal: “Translate” the ever-evolving public health science so that people will be well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions. This newsletter is free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members. To support the effort, subscribe or upgrade below: Subscribe
Colby Covington plans to step away from politics after President Trump leaves office
Colby Covington plans to step away from politics after Trump’s second term Colby Covington says he plans to step away from politics once Donald Trump’s second term comes to an end. The former interim UFC welterweight champion has built much of his persona around his support for Trump, even bringing a belt to the Oval Office back in 2018.
Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth Earn 2026 Sports Emmy Noms
NBC Sports’ Mike Tirico has been nominated for an Emmy Award in the Outstanding Sports Personality – Play-by-Play category, alongside fellow nominees Joe Buck, Joe Davis, Ian Eagle and Jim Nantz. Tirico’s “Sunday Night Football” commentary partner, Cris Collinsworth, is up for the Event Analyst Emmy!
EQB welcomes Daniel Rethazy as EVP, Personal Banking, adding top banking talent to reignite core business growth and execute on transformation
EQB Inc. (TSX: EQB) today announces Daniel Rethazy's appointment as Executive Vice President, Personal Banking. Mr. Rethazy brings deep experience in Canadian Banking to EQB that will accelerate momentum and unlock a new era of growth for the company's Personal Banking franchise, delivering a more competitive and rewarding banking experience, and a stronger and more resilient banking industry for all Canadians.
Personal Health and Wellness Company CFO Ana Wilkowski Will Deliver Commencement Address
Ceremony scheduled for Sunday, May 17.
Person shot dead at business on Lockbourne Road
Columbus police responded to a shooting on Lockbourne Road early Wednesday morning.Few details were immediately available, but ABC6 confirmed the shooting t
How this Indiana teacher makes her AP personal finance class click for students
With over two decades of teaching under her belt, Kristin Lidstrom is piloting the AP class for Fishers students. “By the time students are making real financial decisions, they should already feel confident navigating them, not encountering the concepts for the first time,” she said.
FEC filings reveal how Blackburn laid the groundwork for governor campaign without personal fortune
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn has used political connections and standing as a close ally of President Donald Trump to raise large sums of cash.
Trump had business motive for keeping classified documents, Jack Smith finds
The special counsel’s team found Donald Trump held onto documents so secret only six people could legally review them — and believed his reason for doing so was personal financial gain.
Plans for forum to replace scrapped USC governor's debate fall apart
A proposed forum cobbled together after USC canceled its gubernatorial debate fell apart as candidates of color excluded from the previous event were unable to show up in person, sources said.
Federal prosecutors to get classified House documents in Brennan probe as decision on charges against former CIA chief nears
The House Intelligence Committee voted Tuesday to give federal prosecutors classified records related to John Brennan, according to a committee spokesperson, signaling the Justice Department’s investigation into the former CIA director may be heading towards possible charges.
League personnel being able to weigh in on on-field calls among NFL's new proposals if replacement refs are used
Voting will take place at the Annual League Meeting on March 29 in Phoenix
Verdict on chatbots in mental health screenings? Too judgmental
Chatbots used in mental health screenings aim to reduce the stigma associated with seeking help and to expand access to needed services. Because they cannot cast personal judgment, chatbots are considered ...
Pistons’ Duncan Robinson shares personal story while supporting Detroit youth mental health
The Detroit Pistons Foundation, Children’s Foundation of Michigan, Duncan Robinson, and the Robinson Family Foundation made a special announcement in support of SAY Detroit’s LiveWELL Program, which provides school-based youth development programming focused on mental health, wellness, and life skills for Detroit Youth inside the SAY Detroit Play Center at Lipke Park.
OpenAI discontinues its Sora app amid robotics shift, compute limits
A spokesperson for OpenAI said the discontinuation of Sora comes as the company plans to focus on robotics rather than generative imagery.
Health Ring Oura Interviews Banks for IPO as Soon as This Year
Health ring Oura has been interviewing bankers to advise on an initial public offering that could take place as soon as this year, according to a person with direct knowledge of discussions. A public offering would follow fast growth at the company, which sells connected devices—which cost from ...
Jennifer Lopez Gets Down to Business in a Pencil Skirt
Whether or not you’re personally on board with the look, Jennifer Lopez will always be a ride-or-die pencil skirt fan.
Charlie’s Beat: A healthy life, well lived
Today’s story comes from a personal perspective, about a person who’s been in my life for close to 50 years. Bryant Stamford was the Fitness & Nutrition columnist for the
Whole Hog Politics: The political establishment thrives in our broken primary system
Nothing lasts forever, but a Senate seat from Illinois is pretty darned close. Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin is retiring after 30 years, and he is only the third person to hold that seat in 60 years. Sometimes...
Long lines at Texas airports continue as ICE agents assist strained TSA
Houston remains the only Texas city where ICE agents are currently assisting at airports, with personnel spotted at both William P. Hobby Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
From elections to redistricting, Jenna Persons-Mulicka’s footprint grows in the House
For now, though, she’s enjoying a break from action back home with her sons.
Bleisure travel continues to reshape the business trip
Business travel no longer ends when meetings do. Across the United States, conference attendees increasingly add personal time to work trips, turning what once looked like a quick flight in and out into a long weekend or short getaway built...
Personnel note: Natalie Brown departs RSA, heads back to Senate as Danny Burgess Senior Aide
'During her time with us, she added significant value to our clients and brought a level of direction and strategy to our Session approach and appropriations process.'
Why is AirDrop support disabled by default on Samsung Galaxy?
Samsung will officially start rolling out AirDrop support over Quick Share on Galaxy S26 devices throughout this week but, personally,...
CuSTEMized: Personalized Storybooks Inspire the Next Generation of Female Scientists
Custom books feature girls as STEM heroes, aiming to build their confidence and encourage them to pursue their scientific ambitions through storytelling and pictures.
Trump’s New Political Tool: ICE
President Trump has increasingly used Immigration and Customs Enforcement to push personal and political objectives, and on Monday sent agents to airports across the country to help deal with long security lines.
Secondary Trauma and Healthcare Providers | Modern Midwives Blog |…
Secondary trauma is a common form of distress experienced by anyone who is witness to the trauma another person experiences. Those who work in the…
'Sled head': Lawsuits against USA Bobsled/Skeleton allege brain injury
Three personal injury lawsuits have been filed on behalf of elite bobsledders who claim officials intentionally concealed evidence that the sport causes brain injuries.
Manor Township Democratic committee person kicked off May 19 primary ballot
Kirk Barrett, a candidate for a Manor Township seat on the Lancaster County Democratic Committee, has successfully kicked the incumbent’s name off the ballot for the upcoming May 19 primary.
Building a Culture of Health: BJACH Opens Armed Forces Wellness Center at Fort Polk
FORT POLK, La. — Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital marked a significant step forward in supporting warfighter readiness and community well-being with the grand opening of its new Armed Forces Wellness Center on March 23. The center, located on the first floor inside BJACH, provides Soldiers, Families, civilian employees and beneficiaries with access to personalized health assessments, education and coaching designed to improve overall health and performance.
The debate over Trump’s mental health: ‘Malignant narcissist ’ or ‘superhuman president’?
While some warn of the danger of having someone suffering from ‘cognitive decline’ in the White House, his inner circle attributes his outbursts to his iconoclastic personality
Personnel note: Tampa Electric names Ed Narain as Director of Regional Affairs
'Tampa Electric has a long history of supporting the growth and success of the communities it serves, and I look forward to helping strengthen those partnerships.'
Personnel note: Shutts & Bowen adds veteran trial lawyer Bernie Pastor to Miami office
Shutts & Bowen is expanding its Business Litigation Practice Group with the addition of Bernard “Bernie” Pastor as a Partner in its Miami office.
One dead after shooting at Last Call Sports Bar in Jackson
One person is dead after a shooting at Last Call Sports Bar early Sunday morning.
Precision Nutrition: Tufts University Expert Q&A On How Personalized Diet Science May Transform Health - Where The Food Comes From
Tufts expert José Ordovás explains precision nutrition and how personalized diet science could transform health and prevent disease.
Does walking after a meal improve gut health?
If you’re looking for ways to improve your digestion and gut health, doctors say walking after a meal may help.
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.
Home health aides epitomize a key problem in the current job market
About 4 million people were employed as home health and personal care aides in 2024. They earn just $16.78 an hour, despite the need for their services being intense.
I took an in-person Peleton class with Jess King. Here's how it went.
I took an in-person Peloton cycling class with Jess King. I liked how thought-out the experience was.
New Apple TV and HomePod Mini Remain 'Ready' to Launch
Apple has unveiled nine new products this month, but the wait continues for the next-generation Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini models. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said new versions of the Apple TV and HomePod mini have been "ready" since last year, but he reiterated that Apple has held off on releasing them until the more personalized version of Siri and other Apple Intelligence upgrades are released later this year.
Why mosquitoes always find you and how they decide to attack
Scientists have finally cracked how mosquitoes decide where to fly—and it’s not by following each other. Instead, each insect independently reacts to visual cues and carbon dioxide, zeroing in on humans when both signals align. Dark colors and CO2 together create the strongest attraction, triggering swarming and biting behavior. This insight could reshape how we design traps and prevent mosquito-borne diseases.
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 ...
Person robbed at gunpoint outside Dracut business
Dracut police say two suspects in black robbed a man at gunpoint, then fled in a silver Ford Explorer, which was later found. No arrests announced.
Fact-checking Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on the effects of the SAVE America Act
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said the SAVE America Act would require in-person voter registration, “something only 5% of Americans do today." The act would require that, but the rate of in-person registrations is higher than Schumer said.
ChatGPT Took a Science Exam Designed by College Professors and Scored a Low D, and That Should Worry You
Confident. Clear. But a new study suggests ChatGPT's polished tone might be masking something far more troubling about how it actually reasons.
1 person hurt, multiple detained after overnight shooting in Surprise
An overnight shooting has left one person in the hospital in the West Valley on Saturday morning.
iPhone spyware is everyone's problem now
Anyone with an iPhone can now be the target of invasive malware that siphons off personal texts, call histories and calendar data.
Elon Musk offers to pay TSA workers' salaries amid DHS budget standoff
Elon Musk has offered to cover the salaries of TSA personnel during the ongoing funding impasse disrupting airports nationwide.
Police responding to business explosion in Carroll County
According to a spokesperson for the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department, the explosion occurred Friday afternoon at the address of Catoctin Mountain Growers.
Political Science study reveals how Americans decide who counts as a
The term “person of color” has grown increasingly common in American public life. A new Berkeley Political Science paper, “Who Counts as a ‘Person of Color’? The Roles of Ancestry, Phenotype,
The State That Decided to Topple a Political Giant
Phil Berger has been the most powerful person in North Carolina for 15 years. That wasn’t enough to save him from voters’ anger at incumbents and legalized gambling.
At least one dead after Sacramento Business 80 crash
At least one person is dead after a crash on a major Sacramento freeway.
Former West Virginia business owner admits to taking $250,000 of COVID relief money for personal expenses through false claims
WHEELING, W.Va. (WTRF) — A former Wheeling business owner has pleaded guilty to a federal charge tied to misuse of COVID-19 relief funds. Bradley Temple, 48, of Delray Beach, Florida, formerly of W…
Marmite maker Unilever in talks to merge food business with US-based McCormick
Group, which also owns Dove and Hellmann’s, will focus more on personal care products if deal agreed
Latto Launches 'Big Mama' With New 'Business & Personal' Single
Latto is back with "Business & Personal," the first official single from her forthcoming 'Big Mama' album. Get all the details.
Verdict on Chatbots in Mental Health Screenings? Too Judgmental
Chatbots used in mental health screenings aim to reduce the stigma associated with seeking help and to expand access to needed services. Because they cannot cast personal judgment, chatbots are considered a neutral option for sharing mental health concerns. In a recent test of these common assumptions, however, a University of Texas at Dallas researcher […]
Exclusive | Unilever in Talks to Separate Food Business and Combine It With McCormick
The remaining Unilever company would focus on beauty, personal-care products and home.
Michigan declares 1st measles outbreak as cases spread 'like wildfire'
All three measles cases reported in March in Michigan are linked to a person in Washtenaw County who likely contracted it on a trip to Florida.
Jeffrey Epstein's personal lawyer explains large cash withdrawals
Darren Indyke says Jeffrey Epstein needed a lot of cash for his lavish lifestyle, including a jet, a private island, and homes around the world.
Lawsuit Accuses Justice Dept. Leadership of ‘Political Retribution’
The suit filed by two fired F.B.I. agents aimed to hold the Trump administration accountable for the purge of personnel who had worked on the investigations of Mr. Trump or his allies.
How YouTuber Caleb Hammer built a big business on debt call-outs
Caleb Hammer, who built a large audience by blending personal drama with money advice, has parlayed that into a lucrative subscription business.
What the blame narrative on chronic disease gets wrong
The nation’s health crisis is a design flaw, not a lack of personal responsibility.
Researchers surveyed by STAT detail the scientific and personal toll of grant cuts: ‘This can't be how it ends’
STAT interviews with 30 respondents brought the unmistakably human impacts of federal science policy into sharp focus. Here are three of those stories.
Amazon Alexa's UK personality to change with Echo AI update
There has been criticism the Echo has stagnated, while other AI chatbots have become much easier to communicate with.
Forum on harnessing Artificial Intelligence for health equity
Register to this forumOver the past decade, artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly evolved in complexity, performance, and utility. Its integration across a wide range of industrial sectors has accelerated, with healthcare emerging as one of the most transformative sectors. In this sector, AI has enabled high-impact applications – from enhancing the speed and accuracy of disease diagnosis and supporting clinical decision-making, to strengthening public health initiatives such as disease surveillance and workforce optimization. Moreover, AI holds immense potential to empower individuals, enabling them to take greater control of their personal health and well-being. Yet the central question remains: Who benefits, who is at risk, and do these innovations close or widen health inequities? While the potential of AI-enabled applications is substantial, many countries have approached their adoption with caution. This hesitancy stems from concerns about risks and benefits, including model bias, data breaches, privacy violations, and the erosion of professional skills due to over-reliance on AI. Additional barriers include inadequate data infrastructure and a lack of robust evidence on the most effective forms and interfaces of AI to enhance service delivery and system performance. Moreover, the rapid rise of Generative AI has introduced a heightened urgency for the development of comprehensive governance and ethical frameworks. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) Health Practice Team and Digital Sector, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Western Pacific, are convening the Forum on Harnessing AI for Health Equity on 25–26 March at ADB Headquarters. Senior health officials from 16 developing member countries (DMCs), alongside leading researchers, innovators, and policymakers from across Asia and the Pacific, will engage in discussions on how AI can be governed, financed, and scaled to deliver healthier lives for all. The forum is funded through the High-Level Technology Fund with support from the Government of Japan. Objectives The two-day forum aims to:Identify high-impact, evidence-based health AI use cases suitable for resource-constrained settings and map out a pipeline for potential supportIntroduce and validate the WHO's policy guidance on minimum necessary ecosystem for countries and institutions to self-assess readiness for AI adoptionObtain initial commitment from participating stakeholders to join a pilot regional initiative focused on data/model sharing for a priority health challengeEndorse a prioritized set of actionable policy recommendations focusing on governance, regulation, and sustainable financing necessary to scale high-impact health AI use cases in resource-constrained settings Target participants The forum will convene participants from 16 ADB DMCs including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Viet Nam. In addition, health system leaders and practitioners, private sector technologists, academic experts, representatives from civil society organizations, development partners, and philanthropic institutions engaged in AI for Health from Australia, the People’s Republic of China, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the Republic of Korea will also be invited. SessionsDay 1 (25 March)Session 1: AI Use Cases for the Care Continuum: Improving Access and QualitySession 2: Adopting a risk-based approach for AI use case prioritizationSession 3: Establishing the Minimum Ecosystem for Implementation Risk ManagementSession 4: Future-Ready Health Workforce: Building Competency for Human-AI CollaborationDay 2 (26 March)Session 5: The Political Economy of AI in Health: Understanding Stakeholder Interests and their Impact on EquitySession 6: AI and Health Financing: Supporting Fair Coverage and ProtectionSession 7: AI Regulation and Oversight: Pathways for Different RealitiesSession 8: The Way Forward – Building Alliances and Regional Partnership How to registerThe forum will be held in a hybrid format. In-person attendance is by invitation only, while livestreaming of the forum will be available to the public. To register, please complete this form on or before 24 March 2026.Event organizers / partnersAsian Development Bank (ADB)WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific High-Level Technology Fund (HLTF)ContactAkihito WatabeHealth Specialist, SD3-HSDawatabe@adb.org Jae Kyoun KimHealth Specialist, SD3-HSDjkkim@adb.org
In debate over sugary drinks, Colorado weighs health benefits and personal choice
Colorado received a waiver from the USDA to restrict the use of SNAP benefits to buy those sweetened beverages. But it needs the approval of the state human services board.
Around the MHS
The latest news from around the Military Health System for the week of March 16-20, 2026, includes remarks from Under Secretary of War for Personnel and Readiness Anthony J. Tata on the Military Health System’s mission, the Defense Health Agency’s innovative data strategy, and Chef Robert Irvine offers healthy cooking and nutrition tips.
A more personal digital health experience for people in Europe
Google and DocMorris have announced a partnership to create a more intuitive and supportive digital health experience.
California leaders lionized César Chávez. Now, they face a reckoning with his past
Leaders up and down California, many of whom were personally inspired by his life’s work, are grappling with multiple allegations of sexual assault by Cesar Chávez.
Tom Brady Reveals the Sneaky Way He’s Able to Watch His Kids’ Sports Games in Person
Tom Brady shared how he avoids being recognized while cheering for his three kids at their sports games, opting to keep the focus squarely on them “where it should be.”
Small Business Focus: Does AI keep you up at night?
Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming one of the most valuable tools available to small businesses and entrepreneurs — and BizLaunch is bringing that opportunity to the local business community with an upcoming in‑person workshop, “AI Advantage: Creating Winning Proposals With Smart Tools.” Led by the expert consultants at Revby, the program will explore how AI
LA Times Projects News Business to Break Even in 2026
The Los Angeles Times expects its news business to break even in 2026, a company spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal, after it lost about $5 million in 2025.
Personal trainer dies from fatal injuries sustained inside North Carolina business
The 71-year-old was a personal trainer in Whiteville.
Rand Paul confronts Markwayne Mullin over past rhetoric at Senate hearing
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., confronted Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., for his past comments saying he "completely understood" why Paul had been physically assaulted and questioned if "someone who applauds violence against their political opponents" is the right person to lead the Department of Homeland Security.
Russians caught stealing personal data from Ukrainians with new advanced iPhone hacking tools
A suspected group of Russian government hackers was caught targeting Ukrainians with new iPhone hacking tools designed for espionage and potentially to steal crypto.
BFW Introduces AP® Business with Personal Finance Program to Help Students Build Real-World Skills
NEW YORK, March 18, 2026--BFW Publishers Introduces AP® Business with Personal Finance textbook for new course launching 2026/27, blending AP rigor with career-relevant skills.
How lawyers got their hands on thousands of private patient records
The nation’s largest health records company, Epic Systems, has sued multiple firms including GuardDog Telehealth, alleging they had improperly accessed personal medical records.
Filip Nowacki named Jersey Sports Person of the Year for 2025
World Junior swimming champion Filip Nowacki is named Jersey's Sports Person of the Year.
WNBA, WNBPA Reach Tentative Verbal Agreement for New CBA
The historic deal comes after eight straight days of in-person negotiating by the two sides and is expected to take weeks to ratify.
5 lessons from a weekend vibe coding class as a non-technical person
I joined a weekend vibe coding class and built apps in two mornings. As a non-technical builder, I learned five lessons.
No Trump Endorsement for Cornyn or Paxton in Texas Senate Race as Deadline Passes
President Trump’s decision not to weigh in before the deadline means both John Cornyn and Ken Paxton remain on the ballot, extending their costly and increasingly personal battle into a May runoff.
Appomattox dialysis center to close in April, UVA Health says
A dialysis center in the area is set to close next month, according to a spokesperson.
UBS faced brief incident that impacted trading business, source says
UBS Group's global technology systems have been nearly restored on Tuesday after a brief incident that impacted some of its trading business, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Who is Joe Kent? Meet the Green Beret, MAGA loyalist, and former political candidate who quit over Iran
Joe Kent, a Green Beret Army special forces officer who ran for Congress, has a personal reason for his anti-interventionist views on the war between the U.S., Israel, and Iran.
Now everyone in the US is getting Google’s personalized Gemini AI
Suggestions based on what’s in your Gmail inbox or YouTube viewing history.
Google's Personal Intelligence feature is expanding to all US users
Personal Intelligence allows Google's AI assistant to tap into your Google ecosystem, such as Gmail and Google Photos, to provide more tailored responses.
Abby Lee Miller to judge $10 nationwide online dance contest
$10 entry lets U.S. dancers get personal grading from Abby Lee Miller, with 50 finalists in a live-streamed Stargaze Stage online event.
Could a ‘digital twin’ help you get better health care?
Scientists are working to create "digital twins" of patients that they can test treatments on, in hopes of delivering personalized health care.
Study focuses on health care in Appalachian areas recovering from Hurricane Helene
Julia Gohlke, who has studied environmental disasters throughout her career, is turning her attention to the storm’s aftermath in regions near and dear to her personal history.
What to know about NBA expansion: Return of the Sonics? Las Vegas High Rollers?
The NBA disclosed it will explore the possibility of expanding to 32 teams with franchises in Las Vegas and Seattle in time for the 2028-29 season.
Get a fuller picture with Fitbit's personal health coach
Learn how Fitbit is helping people take control of their health by linking medical records, improving sleep tracking accuracy and advancing metabolic research. Discover how the Personal Health Coach uses your health history to provide more relevant wellness information while keeping your data private and secure.
Primary care consultation modality and acute mental health service use in adults
Nature Mental Health - Using retrospective health-record analyses, Hidalgo-Padilla et al. evaluated whether differences in remote versus in-person primary care consultations were associated with...
AG Letitia James pushes bill to ban 'surveillance pricing'
Using personal data like browsing history and more, Instacart charged individualized prices for items unbeknownst to customers, according to data.
Trump reveals GOP congressman faced ‘terminal’ health condition and had months to live
President Donald Trump on Monday revealed that a GOP congressman had received a critical diagnosis and had only months to live before the president personally intervened to help him get emergency heart surgery.
Trump reveals GOP congressman faced ‘terminal’ health condition and had months to live
President Donald Trump on Monday revealed that a GOP congressman had received a critical diagnosis and had only months to live before the president personally intervened to help him get emergency heart surgery.
Billy Crystal and Barbra Streisand lead an expanded Oscars in memoriam
The in memoriam at the Oscars honoring those in the film industry who have died spotlighted Rob Reiner and Robert Redford with personal tributes from Billy Crystal and Barbra Streisand.