Digital devices and education decline. “The standardized test scores of American students had been rising for decades. Then they began to slide, dropping to their lowest point in two decades in 2023 and 2024.” Devices like laptops and tablets may […]
Chicago’s vegan scene contracts. In recent years, the city has witnessed a retreat in its plant-based dining options. “Despite the once-rising popularity of vegan and vegetarian cuisine, many establishments are now shuttering as diners return to traditional meats.” I sent […]
Diet Coke’s ‘It Girl’ moment. Count me in for one! Yet, I refuse to let my kids try it. The soda has made a major comeback, embraced by Gen Z as the “fridge cigarette” for its refreshing qualities minus the […]
Plants’ secret language revealed. Scientists have unraveled a century-old mystery of how plants communicate stress. “We are trying to build a foundational knowledge of understanding how communication in plants happens,” explains Vesna Bacheva. The study shows plants use negative pressure […]
Algae as asphalt’s green hero. “Algae-derived compounds can improve moisture resistance, flexibility and self-healing behavior in asphalt, potentially extending pavement life and reducing maintenance costs,” says Assoc. Prof. Elham Fini. ~ learn more
This frog knows its face. I’ve shared before about the discovery that tiny electrical fields help cells determine where a nose should be, for example. I can’t get enough of how cool this is. “Picasso tadpoles make largely normal frog […]
The end of interchange. “Credit card companies have had a good run extracting interchange from merchants for the last forty years, but those days are coming to an end.” Fred Wilson’s a pretty good predictor of the future, but I […]
GenAI ads outperform human ones. “GenAI-created ads see 19% higher click-through rates than human-created ads.” NYU and Emory researchers found that even product packaging influenced by Generative AI boosts creative performance. As usual, when AI usage was disclosed, it tanked […]
Saltwater rinse and cold recovery. “Washing viruses out of your nose and throat can help you get better faster.” In a trial with 66 adults, saline rinses shortened cold duration by nearly two days and reduced transmission at home. ~ […]
Thin desires consuming our lives. “We are living with a near-universal thin desire: wanting something that cannot actually be gotten, that we can’t define, from a source that has no interest in providing it.” Our modern world fuels these unsatisfying […]