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A Church Gym's Murals of Biblical Figures Playing Sports Goes Viral
"Pickleball Paul" and "Air Moses" are ballin' in support of the "real Doctor J."
OpenAI shutters Sora: What’s next for artificial intelligence in entertainment?
Today on AirTalk: Open AI closes Sora; US at 250; Parenting in year 0; How is the Iran war affecting prices? Homelessness funds on the table; and Marine…
KCCI Investigates: What one science teacher taught students about water quality
First- through fifth-grade students at Bergman Academy in Des Moines took on one of Iowa's biggest environmental issues at the school's first science fair: water quality.
READY, SET, IMPLEMENT! Lifelines in Crisis: Prioritizing Women’s, Children’s, and Adolescents’ Health in Humanitarian, Conflict and Climate-affected Settings
This dialogue is part of PMNCH’s Ready, Set, Influence series, bringing together policymakers, humanitarian leaders, donors, and grassroots experts. The webinar will focus on accelerating the implementation of health commitments within humanitarian affairs, specifically focusing on the need for integrated, rights-based health services that remain resilient in the face of conflict, disaster and climate events.
More than $40K Awarded to Middle and High School Scientists and Engineers at the 72nd Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair
/PRNewswire/ -- The 72nd Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair (GSDSEF) was held this year at the Balboa Park Activity Center, on Wednesday, March...
Partial government shutdown continues with long lines at airports
The long lines at airports and the DHS shutdown continue, but could a deal by on the horizon?
Former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs to speak at FSU
Ambassador Thomas A. Shannon Jr., former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, will speak at Florida State University at 4:30 p.m. Thursday,
Consumer Sleep Technology Can Support Better Sleep, With Limits
A commentary Miller School of Medicine researchers underscores that pairing sleep and exercise may produce greater health benefits.
Trump to name Zuckerberg, Ellison, Huang to tech panel, WSJ reports
U.S. President Donald Trump plans to appoint Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Oracle Executive Chairman Larry Ellison and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to a panel that weighs in on AI policy and other issues, WSJ reported on Wednesday
Four from Greater Grand Forks on Top 25 Women in Business list
Prairie Business contest honors exceptional professionals in the region
Amazon Prime Day 'Big Spring Sale' Introduces Major Discounts on AirPods, iPads, AirTag, and Much More
Amazon this week is hosting a "Big Spring Sale," which includes deals and offers on everything from Apple devices to clothes, kitchen electronics, furniture, and much more. The new event is set to run through March 31, so you'll have a few days of discounts to shop, with new markdowns appearing every day. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
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Older adults who regularly engaged in exercise sessions lasting at least 10 minutes at a leisurely pace had healthier brains than their sedentary peers, accordi
Jair Bolsonaro granted temporary house arrest in Brazil for poor health
Former President Jair Bolsonaro was moved from his cell to hospital earlier this month with pneumonia.
California's Ro Khanna was riding high, then came the billionaires
As he lays the groundwork for a presidential bid, Ro Khanna couldn’t ask for a more perfect opportunity to burnish his credentials than a fight with billionaires.
Charles County Science Fair Winners Announced Following Annual Expo
WALDORF, Md. – Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) held the 10th annual History, Industry, Technology and Science Expo, also known as HITS, on March 21 at St. Charles High School. Each year the Expo features student history and science fair projects on display for judging. Science fair project categories included behavioral/medicine and health science, chemistry, […]
Pulitzer winner 'Fairview' is a little cloudy in its L.A. premiere
Jackie Sibblies Drury's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama "Fairview" receives its L.A. premiere at the Matrix in a Rogue Machine production directed by Oz Scott.
Political Science Program Encounters Growth in Enrollment
The department chair received numbers indicating political science as a major is on the rise.
ICE agents have been deployed to airports. Are the polls next?
The high-profile deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to airports has renewed support on the right and fear on the left about the possibility of ICE going to the polls in November.
The labor leader behind California’s billionaire tax showdown
For decades, Dave Regan has used California’s direct democracy system in a relentless campaign to shore up union power — and his own. But his newest mission is on an entirely different scale.
New Galaxy S26 update that brings AirDrop expands globally
Samsung has released a new software update for the Galaxy S26 series outside of South Korea. It brings AirDrop to the new phones.
Amazon drops prices on Apple bestsellers — Shop AirPods, MacBooks, and more at the Spring Sale
If you shop with us, you'll never pay full price.
Should computer science be compulsory in Ohio schools?
Currently, twelve states in the US are phasing in requirements for students to complete a computer science course before graduating high school. Should Ohio become the 13th state? That is what a pair of bills in the Ohio Statehouse are proposing to do.
Cordova students will compete in Alaska Science Olympiad
Students will be traveling from Cordova, Keni, Minto, Nome, Palmer, Seldovia and Utqiagvik to compete with counterparts in the Fairbanks North Star Borough.
Mental Health Symposium strengthens leaders, builds a fit-to-fight for
Base leadership gathered with mental health experts for a Mental Health Symposium at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, March 17.
Long lines persist at some U.S. airports despite ICE arrival
The Trump administration’s deployment of ICE officers to more than a dozen U.S. airports appeared to have a limited effect on reducing security lines.
New Mexico jury says Meta harms children's mental health and safety, violating state law
The jury agreed that Meta engaged in "unconscionable" trade practices that unfairly took advantage of the vulnerabilities of and inexperience of children. Jurors found there were thousands of violations, each counting separately toward a penalty of $375 million.
WATCH: 'We negotiate with bombs,' Hegseth says of U.S. air campaign in Iran
President Donald Trump has listed five objectives that the U.S. wants to achieve before ending its war with Iran. Now, as he suggests the U.S. may soon be “winding down” the operation after three and a half weeks, some of his key aims remain undefined or unfulfilled.
Approximately 1,000 US soldiers preparing to deploy to the Middle East to be available for Iran operations
Approximately 1,000 US soldiers with the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division are expecting to deploy in coming days to the Middle East, according to two sources familiar with the matter, adding to the growing military firepower in the region as the Trump administration says it is in talks with Iran to end the conflict
New Mexico jury finds Meta violated consumer protection law at trial about child safety
A New Mexico jury found Tuesday that social media conglomerate Meta is harmful to children's mental health and in violation of state consumer protection law. Jurors sided with state prosecutors who argued that Meta — which owns Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp — prioritized profits over safety. The jury determined Meta violated parts of the state’s Unfair Practices Act on accusations the company hid what it knew about about the dangers of child sexual exploitation on its platforms and impacts on child mental health.
The Trump FCC is leveraging public trust for political gain
Tom Wheeler discusses FCC Chairman Carr's recent threat against broadcasters and the broader implications for democracy.
Students compete at Central Nebraska science fair in Kearney
Organizers said the regional competition featured 40 projects from schools across central Nebraska.
'Run, Sydney, run': Donald Trump pushes Sydney Gruters to run for Vern Buchanan's seat in Congress
The Sarasota Republican is married to RNC Chair Joe Gruters, but boasts work on the Hill in her résumé as well.
How easing regulations on heavy metals air pollution could impact health | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
A recent repeal of federal environmental regulations aimed at limiting the emission of mercury and other heavy metals from power plants could have serious health impacts, according to Harvard Chan School experts.
Shutdown becomes showdown as ICE takes on airports
As the Trump administration positions federal immigration troops at airports around the country, experts question the effectiveness of the presence of untrained agents
Billionaire OpenAI investor Vinod Khosla thinks 80% of jobs could vanish by 2030, and that ‘fear of AI’ put American politics in a chokehold
“The single biggest issue I believe in the 2028 presidential election will be fear of AI,” the Khosla Ventures founder said.
Chan School of Public Health Department Chair Departs for UCLA
Kari Nadeau, an environmental health leader, will serve as the dean of the Fielding School of Public Health.
Delta suspends VIP services for Congress members amid DHS shutdown, TSA delays
Delta suspended VIP congressional services amid the government shutdown, telling lawmakers they'll be treated like regular travelers by SkyMiles status.
Analysts' new AI stock rating system reveals these winners and losers
William Blair analysts revamped how they are rating AI stocks. In their new framework, seven stocks emerged as winners, while four were downgraded.
When to book summer flights for 2026 as oil prices rise
Rising oil prices and travel disruptions are pushing airfares higher. We asked travel and aviation experts for advice on when to book summer flights.
CCPS students place in 2026 science fair
Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) held the 10th annual History, Industry, Technology and Science Expo, also known as HITS, on March 21 at St. Charles High School.
Senators consider deal to fund Homeland Security but not ICE enforcement
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators raced Tuesday to clinch an emerging proposal to end the Homeland Security shutdown by funding much of the department, including the Transportation Security Administration airport workers going without pay, but excluding the ICE enforcement operations that have been core to the dispute. The sudden sense of urgency comes as U.S. airports […]
Entertainment lineup announced for Red River Valley Fair
WEST FARGO (KFGO) - The Red River Valley Fair just announced the 2026 grandstand entertainment lineup, bringin...
Kari Nadeau named dean of the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health
Nadeau, currently chair of environmental health at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, will begin her new role in July.
TSA lines are so bad that United, Delta waive change fees
Some airlines are waiving change fees or fare differences for passengers affected by hourslong waits at airport security.
Energy executive Alan Armstrong picked to fill Mullin's Senate seat through end of year
The choice by Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt, who had pledged to pick a “conservative voice” to fill Mullin's seat, elevates to the Senate the chairman and former CEO of Williams Companies, a major pipeline operator based in Tulsa.
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.
World Athletics Expands Air Quality Monitoring, But Can Sports Fill Global South’s Data Void?
The walk coordinators carried portable air quality sensors, logging particulate matter (PM)2.5 (fine particles) and PM10 (coarse particles), nitrogen dioxide
Jimmy Kimmel Rips Into Trump Over Airport Security Chaos
The late-night host turns a 2016 Trump tweet against the president.
The Morning After: WWDC 2026 is happening June 8th
The biggest news stories this morning: Wing expands its drone delivery service to the Bay Area, Billionaire OnlyFans owner Leonid Radvinsky has died from cancer at 43, Apple will reportedly start stuffing ads into the Maps app.
Chris Froome Joins Vekta Leadership Team to Help Shape Sports Performance of the Future
Four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome to join Vekta as Chief Innovation Officer and Chair of the newly created Vekta Athlete Advisory Board.
Texas oil refinery explosion sends smoke into air, residents advised to shelter in place
An explosion and fire at a Valero oil refinery has sent smoke rising into the sky in Port Arthur, where some residents are being told to shelter in place.
Stellar Entertainment Partners with Parrot Analytics to Advance Data-Driven IFE
Stellar Entertainment and Parrot Analytics partner to bring real-time data into airline inflight content decisions.
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,...
Blount: Online sports betting proposal has little support in Senate, would cost casino industry
Sen. David Blount, chairman of the Gaming Committee in the Senate, says a proposal to legalize online sports betting lacks support in the Senate, and could harm the state's casino tourism industry, which provides thousands of jobs and millions in state revenue. Blount also discusses proposed, and recently enacted, changes to the Public Employee Retirement System, and proposals to increase tax credits for private schools.
American Airports Are Latest Washington Battlefield | WSJ Politics Newsletter for March 24
Plus, the diplomatic back channel that led to Trump’s U-turn on the war
ICE officers at airports a ‘test run’ for midterms, Steve Bannon suggests
Former White House strategist says current situation at airports will help ‘really perfect ICE’s involvement in the 2026 midterm elections’
Accrington Victoria Hospital site to become health and care hub
Accrington Victoria Hospital closed in 2024 after the building was found to be beyond repair.
Apple's iPhone Air is taking sales away from the iPhone 17 Pro while crushing the Galaxy S25 Edge
We don't have an exact sales figure for Apple's ultra-thin handset, but the iPhone Air is clearly more popular than some of you think.
I spent 4 hours in line at the TSA, and the situation felt dangerous
A couple traveling to Costa Rica for their anniversary vacation spent four hours at the TSA, missed their flight, and spent the night at the airport.
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.
Scientists say NAD+ could slow aging and fight Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
A global team of leading scientists is zeroing in on a tiny but powerful molecule that could reshape how we age. Known as NAD⁺, it plays a crucial role in keeping our cells energized, repairing DNA, and maintaining overall health—but its levels steadily decline over time, potentially fueling diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Researchers are now exploring ways to boost NAD⁺ using compounds like NR and NMN, with early studies hinting at improvements in memory, metabolism, and physical function.
From One Major to Three in Four Years: Connecting Data Science, German and Linguistics at Montclair
In a German language program for local children and on an archive translation project, Isabella Zarate Gonzalez shows how Montclair’s mix of STEM, world languages and community engagement helped her connect her interests into a single path
Former Brazilian leader Bolsonaro's health improves and he could serve sentence under house arrest
One of his doctors says former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been transferred to a regular hospital room in the capital of Brasilia as he continues to recover from pneumonia
I was on the Air Canada flight that crashed at LaGuardia
A 22-year-old student was on an Air Canada flight that crashed at LaGuardia Airport. He described the moment of the collision and the aftermath.
Why Wall Street seems to keep believing Trump
If you’ve been paying attention to, like, the news, you may be tempted to see Wall Street’s Monday morning 180 from despair to euphoria as a sign that stock traders are all a bunch of rubes.
Beyond the brackets, Florida seeks college sports solutions amid possible Trump action
“We don’t want to do something or say something that’s going to disadvantage these major institutions,” said Alan Levine, who chairs the Board of Governors.
Top business leader demands end to stalemate over City Council's pick for zoning chair
Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce President Jack Lavin said more than 40 development projects have been stalled by City Council's failure to agree on new permanent chair for the powerful Zoning Committee. He wants Mayor Brandon Johnson to forge a compromise to break the stalemate.
Airport chaos is adding urgency to the DHS shutdown debate. But who has the leverage?
DHS has been shut down for more than a month. But extremely long and growing TSA wait times have created newfound political urgency to reach a deal.
The live-action 'Moana' trailer debuts Dwayne Johnson as Maui — and fans can't stop talking about his hair
The remake of the 2016 animated film hits theaters July 10.
House GOP targeting vulnerable Dems over DHS shutdown, TSA chaos
The NRCC launches paid ads targeting Democrats in 28 districts, accusing them of shutting down DHS and forcing TSA agents to work without pay at airports.
Thousands in taxpayer funds spent on horse, hair and makeup expenses for Kristi Noem’s Mount Rushmore ad
Tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars were spent on expenses for hair and makeup artists and a horse for the advertisement showcasing outgoing Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in front of Mount Rushmore, according to invoices seen by CNN.
iPhone Air Said to Be Roughly Twice as Popular as iPhone 16 Plus
While it certainly has its critics, the iPhone Air appears to have validated Apple's decision to retire the iPhone Plus, if new results from an independent analysis are anything to go by. Crowdsourced Speedtest data published by Ookla suggests the iPhone Air captured 6.8 percent of iPhone 17 generation samples in the U.S. during the fourth quarter of 2025, up from the 2.9 percent share the iPhone 16 Plus managed in the same launch window a year earlier.
STC HVACR student turns childhood lessons into vision for future business
Currently pursuing an associate degree in Heating, Ventilation, AC and Refrigeration (HVACR) at South Texas College, Cesar Bernal III said he was just 12 years old when he began watching his father turn determination and hard work into a small but thriving air-conditioning business in Weslaco.
Xbox Partner Preview: Join Us on Thursday to See What's Next from Our Third-Party Partners
Our next Xbox Partner Preview airs Thursday, March 26 - with a whole load of world premieres, game updates, and much more.
New York’s LaGuardia airport closed after plane collision with fire truck kills two pilots
About 40 people taken to hospital after Air Canada Express crash, some with serious injuries
By Director Mr. Sakurai, Kirby Air Riders: Development Insights — Part 5 - News
Join Kirby Air Riders director Masahiro Sakurai as he shares insights into the development and details behind some of the game's modes and features. Check out the rest of the interview Part 1: Air Ride and Top Ride Part 2: Cramming everything into S…
Starmer says ‘every lever’ will be explored to ease rising costs of living from Iran conflict
PM will chair Cobra meeting with key ministers and Bank of England on Monday, as experts warn of economic shock
Samsung's Galaxy S26 will get Apple AirDrop support starting today
The feature was first launched on Pixel 10 phones last year.
Report: iPhone Air is about twice as popular compared to the Plus model it replaced
According to cellular network data from Ookla, the iPhone Air is about twice as popular compared to the iPhone 16...
Cardinal Health Appoints Patricia A. Hemingway Hall as Board Chair
/PRNewswire/ -- Cardinal Health (NYSE: CAH) today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Patricia A. Hemingway Hall to succeed Gregory B. Kenny as...
Samsung adds native AirDrop support to Galaxy S26 devices
Share files with Apple-using friends
Ambani's Reliance Jio: businesses and investors of the IPO-bound firm
Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio Platforms is gearing up to file papers seeking regulatory approvals for a Mumbai listing, in what is likely to be the biggest-ever stock offering in the country.
No 10 says Starmer had ‘constructive’ call with Trump on Middle East and strait of Hormuz
PM will meet with the Commons liaison committee and chair the government’s Cobra emergency committee today
Exclusive | Lawmakers to Introduce Bipartisan Bill Banning Sports Bets on Prediction Markets
A bipartisan pair of U.S. senators are introducing legislation to prohibit CFTC-regulated entities from listing contracts related to sporting events.
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.'
Funding for populist-right ‘media-political complex’ exceeded £170m in five years, research finds
Handful of billionaires gave huge sums in particular to media organisations that boosted rightwing politicians, says Liam Byrne MP
St. Louis Blues Weekly Prospect Report (March 22)
Jiricek has big scoring week; McIsaac announces future plans; Ralph, Michigan State head to NCAA Tournament with Mayich, Clarkson University eliminated; Peterson scored pair, including a SH beauty for Springfield
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.
The Economy Cabin on Airplanes Keeps on Shrinking
Carriers are expanding the options in premium cabins in a bid to boost their earnings.
Spring Health Fair delivers commitment to student wellness
The Student Wellness Advisory Committee hosted their annual Spring Health Fair on Friday afternoon where students were able to gain free tote bags, learn from live simulations and gain insight on new clubs and organizations centered on wellness.
Wisconsin edges Ohio St., wins another title at Frozen Four
Claire Enright scored the go-ahead goal in the third period Sunday, Ava McNaughton had 34 saves, and No. 2 seed Wisconsin beat top-seeded Ohio State 3-2 at the Frozen Four to win its second consecutive national championship.
Samsung Brings AirDrop Support to Quick Share with Galaxy S26 Series
Samsung is introducing AirDrop support to the Galaxy S26 series, making it easier for users to share content between devices using Quick Share. The feature will begin rolling out from March 231, starting in Korea and expanding to more regions including Europe, Hong Kong, Japan, Latin America, North America, Southeast Asia, and Taiwan. AirDrop support […]
Samsung rolling out AirDrop over Quick Share on Galaxy S26, more devices coming
Samsung has officially confirmed plans to start rolling out AirDrop support over Quick Share starting with the Galaxy S26 series...
Former acting ICE director under Obama shares concern about ICE airport deployment
Federal union says 'untrained' ICE agents shouldn't replace TSA
President Donald Trump said he would tap ICE agents to run security at US airports as unpaid TSA officers stop showing up to work.
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. 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