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Could Red Light Actually Heal Your Brain? What the Science Really Says

Red light therapy may do far more than clear skin — emerging science points to real benefits for inflammation, cognition, and cellular health.

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May 11 • 3:32 AM EDT • Science • onegreenplanet.org
AHA Reframes Brain Health as a Lifelong Process

A new AHA scientific statement says sleep, mental health, pollution, and childhood adversity can shape cognitive aging and dementia risk, underscoring that brain health is built across a lifetime.

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May 10 • 8:00 PM EDT • Health • medscape.com
Lake Orion businesses face financial strain from Oakland County water main break
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May 10 • 7:12 PM EDT • Business • cbsnews.com
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QVC shareholders fight bankruptcy plan they say favors creditors

QVC shareholders are challenging the retailer’s bankruptcy plan, arguing the company is improperly shifting valuable assets to creditors.

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May 10 • 3:51 PM EDT • Business • chicagobusiness.com
Why Ruin a Good Thing?

All money isn’t good money. It’s a life lesson that must be learned by those with a hunger for increasing their income. Typically, the refrain is used in rags-to-riches style films, where one must confront the reality that desperation leaves them vulnerable to overlooking a trap or taking a dumb risk. In other film styles, […]

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May 10 • 2:17 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Campaign finance disclosures should fight corruption, not fuel political voyeurism

At a time when civic participation is already under strain, expanding the public exposure of ordinary political activity risks discouraging it.

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May 10 • 11:00 AM EDT • Politics • thehill.com
Science 4 Everyone: How much rain do we need to properly moisturize soil?

While the D.C. area did get some rain over the past few days, did it improve the amount of moisture in the soil? Storm Team4 meteorologist and science teacher Ryan Miller checks it out in Arlington, Virginia.

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May 10 • 10:59 AM EDT • Science • nbcwashington.com
After flying with virtual wings for one week, the brain learns to accept the impossible

The human brain is an incredible organ, capable of constant adaptation and incredible flexibility. It can learn new skills and incorporate new experiences. And, according to a paper published in the journal ...

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May 10 • 10:40 AM EDT • Science • sciencex.com
Chicago Teachers Union wants $8.5 million dues hike to fund politics

“Has your brand become toxic?” This was a pointed question from WGN Political Editor Tahman Bradley, posed to Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates in a recent interview. Her immediate response: “I don’t understand the question.” When pressed, Gates added, “The Chicago Teachers Union is not a political party, it is a labor union.” But internal union documents show CTU leadership is trying to skim $8.5 million more from teacher paychecks explicitly for politics, while trying to silence union members critical of Gates’ leadership. Under the proposed dues hike, Chicago teachers would see up to $800 more per year flow from their paychecks to union coffers. The union already takes in more than $40 million a year, mostly from dues. And it spends less than 18 cents of every dollar on teacher representation. The No. 1 reason for the proposed dues hike? Politics. “We must win a majority of the first 21 person fully elected school board in November,” reads the first point in CTU’s member FAQ document.1 This directly contradicts CTU’s promise to members about how leadership uses dues money. The official CTU handbook tells members that the union does not use dues money for politics, so if they are interested in funding political activity, they should consider voluntary donations to CTU’s political action committee. “Our dues are not used for political purposes,” according to the handbook. “So our PAC relies on extra contributions from our members to support progressive candidates and to impact elected officials at the city, county and state levels.” This kind of double-speak is one reason members are concerned about another constitutional change slipped into the dues hike vote, which will take place on May 20-21: an attempt to stop members from holding the union accountable. A proposed amendment to the union constitution tries to place limits on when members may bring a lawsuit against the union for violating members’ rights.2 This provision is clearly a response to members’ lawsuit against union leadership regarding Gates’ years-long refusal to publish audited financial statements. The judge in that case has repeatedly denied the union’s attempts to dismiss it. Teachers opposed to these changes have been circulating this flier, urging members to vote no. What will CTU members get in return for millions of dollars in additional dues? If the 2024 school board elections are any indication—not much. CTU leadership’s record on school board races may not inspire confidence among members. A Chicago Policy Center analysis of a dozen affiliated PACs found CTU spent nearly $2.9 million on school board races in 2024. Of that spending, more than $2.1 million (75%) went to losing candidates. And while CTU-backed candidates lost six of the nine competitive seats overall, they fared worse in their biggest-spending races, losing five of six contests in which the union and its affiliates put up more than $250,000 for their candidate. The Chicago school board elections take place Nov. 3.3 Is another $8.5 million enough to clean up a toxic reputation? Not likely. Update on federal tax credit scholarship: Last week, Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she plans to opt into the federal tax credit scholarship program. If Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker follows suit, Illinois could unlock $1 billion in donor money statewide for both public- and private-school students. If Illinois does not opt in, that money will flow to other states. The Last Ward reported in February on how Illinois Democrats could unlock at least $100 million in new resources for Chicago public-school students by opting in. Update on the investigation into how Chicagoans learned about a meeting to hike their property taxes: The Last Ward reported in January on an absurd, taxpayer-funded investigation into how local media learned of a planned Chicago school board meeting to hike the district’s property tax levy. That investigation is now complete. Lawyers interviewed two dozen witnesses, and found nothing. Update on Illinois’ muni debt crisis: My colleague Joe Tabor last week published a must-read piece in Crain’s Chicago Business about how Illinois recently rejected south suburban Harvey’s request to be designated a “distressed city.” The saga shows why the state must implement a better structure to assist insolvent local governments, including allowing for the option to pursue debt relief via Chapter 9 bankruptcy. The Last Ward reported in October on how Harvey is tipping the first domino in Illinois’ municipal debt crisis. Mincing Rascals: I joined the Mincing Rascals podcast to discuss the SAFE-T Act, the millionaires tax, and more. My “green light” recommendation: Force Majeure (2014). 1 Notably, the No. 2 reason cited is “resources to fund a state-wide millionaires tax campaign in order to fully fund the state’s school funding formula.” The constitutional amendment necessary to implement a progressive income tax in Illinois recently died in the Illinois House, meaning this question would not appear on the ballot until 2028 at the earliest. 2 There is seemingly no single-subject rule for CTU constitutional amendments. So members only get one vote on the full package. One cannot vote “yes” on the dues hike and “no” on the restriction of members’ rights, for example. 3 Illinois law grants far too much power over local government to unelected officials like Gates. State lawmakers should fix that.

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May 10 • 9:01 AM EDT • Politics • thelastward.org
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2D exploration horror adventure game remake Midnight Train: New Moon announced for PC

Publisher PLAYISM and developer LydiaBluebell have announced 2D exploration horror adventure game remake Midnight Train: New Moon. It will launch for PC via Steam in 2027 with English, Spanish, Jap…

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May 10 • 8:05 AM EDT • Technology • gematsu.com
Inspiring Grad: Macaiah Shendo, UNM College of Population Health

Macaiah Shendo, a student in The University of New Mexico College of Population Health (COPH), is pioneering a new field of brain health care for Indigenous peoples in New Mexico. But if you ask him, he’s no trailblazer. He believes he’s simply doing...

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May 10 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • news.unm.edu
Doctor says: Close the doors, buckle up and put phones away to encourage car safety

"Parents must engage their brains. Put your kids in appropriate car seats," Dr. Scott Hamilton writes. "Teach children early, before the eye-rolling years, to buckle up before the car moves."

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May 10 • 5:00 AM EDT • Health • nola.com
New chancellor named at LSUA, ex-New Orleans City Council president leads pro-Ukraine program

Take a look at some of the recent promotions and new hires announced at south Louisiana businesses.

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May 10 • 5:00 AM EDT • Business • nola.com
Science & Medicine: For veterans with traumatic brain injuries, AI offers a new weapon against post-traumatic headaches

Hundreds of thousands of veterans live with traumatic brain injuries that can trigger chronic headaches, often made worse by PTSD. A researcher at UT Health San Antonio is using AI to help predict and prevent the pain before it starts.

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May 10 • 2:00 AM EDT • Science • tpr.org
Holy Cross event focuses on brain health with a rural emphasis

HOLY CROSS, Iowa — For a few hours Saturday morning, the population of Holy Cross likely doubled.

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May 10 • 2:00 AM EDT • Health • telegraphherald.com
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Brain scans reveal a shocking difference between psychopaths and other people

Scientists have uncovered a striking brain difference linked to psychopathy: people with psychopathic traits were found to have a striatum — a brain region tied to reward, motivation, and decision-making — that was about 10% larger on average than those without such traits. Using MRI scans and psychological assessments on 120 participants, researchers connected this enlarged brain region to thrill-seeking, impulsive behavior, and a stronger drive for stimulation.

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May 9 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com
Scientists discover the brain’s hidden “stop scratching” switch

Scientists have uncovered a hidden “stop-scratching” signal in the nervous system that tells your brain when enough scratching is enough. The discovery centers on a molecule called TRPV4, which acts like part of an internal braking system for itch relief. In experiments involving chronic itch similar to eczema, mice missing this signal scratched less often—but when they did scratch, they couldn’t stop.

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May 9 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com
Scientists say a critical Atlantic ocean current is weakening and the world could feel the impact

Scientists have uncovered strong evidence that a major Atlantic Ocean current system tied to global climate is weakening. The slowdown has been detected across a vast region of the North Atlantic over nearly two decades. Since this ocean circulation helps regulate weather and temperatures, changes could affect storms, rainfall, sea levels, and even winter conditions in parts of Europe and North America.

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May 9 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com
Annual Boston walk supports maternal health equity, improving infant health

Supporters gathered at the Hatch Shell despite rainy weather for the annual March for Babies Boston, raising funds for maternal and infant health research.

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May 9 • 7:34 PM EDT • Health • wcvb.com
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Ukraine war could be coming to an end, Russia’s Putin says

Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine triggered the most serious crisis in relations between Russia and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, when many people feared the world was on the...

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May 9 • 3:21 PM EDT • Politics • tvpworld.com
Holy Cross event focuses on brain health with a rural emphasis

HOLY CROSS, Iowa — For a few hours Saturday morning, the population of Holy Cross likely doubled.

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May 9 • 2:30 PM EDT • Health • telegraphherald.com
Head Coach Chris Taylor Announces 2026 Men's Sporting Staff - Vermont Green Football Club

Vermont Green FC Head Coach Chris Taylor has announced his staff for the 2026 season. Lee Williamson, Rob Emmett and Jed Sass will return as assistant coaches, and are joined by newcomer Jonah Stekly. Hannah Tremel will return as athletic trainer, supported by Dr. J.P. Begly.

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May 9 • 1:30 PM EDT • Sports • vermontgreenfc.com
Small-business development center coaches Fort Worth startups

A local small-business coaching center puts on its first in-person training since the pandemic.

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May 9 • 1:00 PM EDT • Business • fortworthreport.org
Russia marks Victory Day as the Ukraine war drags on

Amid tight security and a partial internet shutdown, Russia marked Victory Day after agreeing to a brief ceasefire in Ukraine. In his speech, Russian president Putin invoked Soviet victory to bolster support for the war in Ukraine.

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May 9 • 12:04 PM EDT • Politics • dw.com
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Scientists say this simple music trick can boost workout endurance by 20%

A new study shows that listening to your own favorite workout music can dramatically boost endurance. Cyclists exercising with self-selected songs lasted nearly 20% longer than when riding in silence, yet they didn’t feel more exhausted at the end. Researchers say music may help people stay in the “pain zone” longer without increasing perceived strain.

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May 9 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com
Anthropic pins Claude's blackmail on the internet's portrayal of AI

Last year, Anthropic's Sonnet 3.6 model displayed blackmail behavior, prompting a review of AI training data's influence on its actions.

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May 9 • 7:47 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com
Eduardo Dominguez of VML Health on ‘Chasing the Miracles of Science’ for Sanofi

Eduardo is a global creative director with VML Health. His work includes the groundbreaking “Dogs Without Borders,” in which trained dogs detect cancer through scent, offering early diagnosis in remote regions such as the Amazon, the Sahara,and Los Pueblos Negros. Beyond his creative work, Eduardo regularly writes for medical sector magazines, sharing insights on enhancing Eduardo is a global creative director with VML Health. Over the course of his 10+ year career, he has worked with some of the industry's top talent, delivering projects that have helped improve the lives of thousands.His work includes the groundbreaking “Dogs Without Borders,” trained dogs to detect cancer through scent, offering early diagnosis in remote regions such as the Amazon, the Sahara, and Los Pueblos Negros.

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May 9 • 7:00 AM EDT • Science • musebyclios.com
Piedmont University receives federal funds for Forensic Science Program

Piedmont University has been awarded $608,000 in federal funding, through the efforts of Sen. Jon Ossoff, to strengthen its forensic science program and expand workforce development opportunities throughout Georgia. University officials said the funding will help address growing workforce shortages in forensic science and provide enhanced training opportunities for students,

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May 9 • 6:00 AM EDT • Science • accesswdun.com
If humans are getting smarter, why are our brains shrinking?

Human brains have been shrinking since prehistoric times, some studies suggest. Whether this is true and why it has happened are debated.

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May 9 • 5:00 AM EDT • Science • livescience.com
New infusion therapies can put cognitive decline on pause. What Louisianans should know about brain health.

Learn about the five pillars of healthy brain aging and the latest research on cognitive decline, Alzheimer's disease, and strategies for maintaining brain health through lifestyle changes.

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May 9 • 5:00 AM EDT • Health • nola.com
Iran Businesses Buckle Under Strain of Record Internet Shutdown

Iran’s record internet blackout is taking a heavy toll on private businesses, with owners and industry officials warning that it could lead to mass layoffs and closures.

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May 9 • 2:00 AM EDT • Business • bloomberg.com
‘The odds are not in our favour’: who sets the Doomsday Clock – and what can they tell us about the future of humanity?

With the war on Iran, Ukraine, AI and climate breakdown increasing the likelihood of a nuclear war, the clock stands closer to midnight than ever before. So who decides how many seconds we have left – and can we buy ourselves more time?

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May 9 • 1:00 AM EDT • Science • theguardian.com
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China’s bet on frontier science

The 15th Five-Year Plan seeks to turn China’s industrial strength into frontier science, but structural constraints may determine how far it can go

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May 8 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • eastasiaforum.org
76ers' Joel Embiid will play in Game 3 vs. Knicks despite ankle sprain, hip soreness
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May 8 • 6:38 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Knicks' OG Anunoby out with hamstring strain for Game 3 vs. 76ers, still considered 'day-to-day'
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May 8 • 6:14 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Knicks' OG Anunoby out with hamstring strain for Game 3 vs. 76ers, still considered 'day-to-day'
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May 8 • 5:44 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Chinese buyer plans partial residential conversion at Wacker Drive office building

The deal is part of two major trends: A wave of downtown office buildings trading at fractions of their pre-pandemic values and office-to-residential conversions.

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May 8 • 4:09 PM EDT • Business • chicagobusiness.com
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Undefeated Local Favorite Taj Mahal Targets Preakness

Taj Mahal, running for trainer Brittany Russell, enters the Preakness Stakes off the back of an authoritative 8 1/4-length romp in the April 18 Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel Park. The son of Nyquist earned an automatic berth to the Preakness with that victory and remains a perfect three-for-three ...

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May 8 • 3:32 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Daily 5 report for May 8: Why this dealer sold his collision repair business

John Masano sold his collision repair business to Driving Force Collision in 2024 to focus on dealership sales and service operations instead.

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May 8 • 3:00 PM EDT • Business • autonews.com
SoLa Foundation Opens New AI & Entertainment Center, Powered by Live Nation in Crenshaw

Images of The Center and the event can be found here The SoLa Foundation today announced the opening of the SoLa AI & Entertainment Center Powered by Live Nation, a creative and workforce training hub within Los Angeles’ Crenshaw neighborhood. Developed in partnership with Live Nation, the 9,000-square-foot Center will…

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May 8 • 2:58 PM EDT • Entertainment • newsroom.livenation.com
Why the hantavirus cruise outbreak is not the next pandemic, according to WHO

Experts say because this strain of hantavirus typically requires prolonged or intimate contact, it is not as contagious as covid during the pandemic.

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May 8 • 1:58 PM EDT • Health • washingtonpost.com
Airfare is up 15%, gas is past $4, and SAP Concur data shows business travel is quietly breaking

Business travelers are skipping the car rental entirely in favor of train travel.

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May 8 • 12:27 PM EDT • Business • fortune.com
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Mookie Betts starts rehab assignment with Oklahoma City

Mookie Betts is starting a minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City, and will play for the Comets on Friday and Saturday, the team announced on Thursday. Saturday marks the five-week mark since Betts strained his right oblique. Kiké Hernández is already with Oklahoma City and has played two games so far for the […]

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May 8 • 11:32 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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We're tracking 423 Mac configurations to see how Apple is handling shortages

There are a couple signs of strain, beyond the MacBook Neo and the desktops.

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May 8 • 11:00 AM EDT • Technology • arstechnica.com
Business Schools Need Cash. Some Are Counting On Executive Education

Training corporate bigwigs can pay off handsomely—if schools navigate past the obstacles.

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May 8 • 10:00 AM EDT • Business • bloomberg.com
University of Minnesota breaks ground on new Community-University Health Care Center

Twice the size of the current clinic, the new, state-of-the-art building will expand patient access, enhance care delivery and strengthen the University's health professional training programs.

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May 8 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • twin-cities.umn.edu
North Star Health Alliance secures $60M loan from state following bankruptcy

Leaders say this is due to financial pressure caused by increased costs, workforce constraints and other challenges.

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May 8 • 7:30 AM EDT • Health • spectrumlocalnews.com
Titans have more competition at TE than you realize

The Tennessee Titans will enter training camp with a ton of competition at the tight end position.

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May 8 • 7:30 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
The best recent science fiction, fantasy and horror

The Republic of Memory by Mahmud El Sayed; The Rainshadow Orphans by Naomi Ishiguro; No Ghosts by Max Lury; Palaces of the Crow by Ray Nayler; Moon Over Brendle by Jeff Noon

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May 8 • 7:00 AM EDT • Science • theguardian.com
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NC loses abortion clinic as pressures mount on providers

The closure of A Woman’s Choice in Greensboro highlights the financial and operational strain providers face under tighter abortion restrictions.

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May 8 • 4:30 AM EDT • Health • northcarolinahealthnews.org
Trump Reversed Hormuz Plan After Saudis Denied Airspace Access

Saudi Arabia’s refusal of support suggests that President Trump’s unpredictable approach to Iran has strained ties with one of his closest allies in the Middle East.

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May 7 • 8:04 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
P-O middle school field trip turns into stream science lesson on abandoned mine drainage

Philipsburg-Osceola Cold Stream mine drainage field trip

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May 7 • 7:02 PM EDT • Science • wjactv.com
Can blockbuster GLP-1 weight-loss drugs also protect brain health?

UCSF experts share their research on medications’ potential to slow or reduce risk of dementia and to treat the triggers that drive addiction.

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May 7 • 4:37 PM EDT • Health • universityofcalifornia.edu
‘Coaches can change everything’: NC bill would require mental health training for coaches

North Carolina lawmakers are considering a proposal that would require some youth sports coaches to complete mental health training to recognize warning signs, respond to student crises and connect athletes with care.

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May 7 • 4:25 PM EDT • Health • wral.com
Maria Shriver highlights new survey on women’s health, financial strain
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May 7 • 2:29 PM EDT • Health • 10tv.com
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Rivian eyes more EV variants as affordable R2 rollout begins

Rivian is signaling that its push into more affordable electric vehicles may extend well beyond the upcoming R2 SUV — a key development for the EV maker as it tries to broaden its appeal beyond luxury buyers.

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May 7 • 2:09 PM EDT • Business • chicagobusiness.com
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OG Anunoby injury: Knicks forward diagnosed with hamstring strain, considered questionable for Game 3, day-to-day
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May 7 • 1:36 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
34-year-old competed on 'Survivor' after starting her own business from her apartment and NYC-to-D.C. train commute: It 'truly was a reset'

Bianca Roses competed on season 48 of "Survivor" while building her own PR agency back at home in Arlington, Virginia, after quitting her job.

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May 7 • 12:45 PM EDT • Business • cnbc.com
Yerby Fellows present new research on mental health, stress, and HIV | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

The Yerby Fellowship Program provides a bridge between academic training in public health-related fields and entry-level faculty positions.

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May 7 • 12:03 PM EDT • Health • hsph.harvard.edu
What is ‘Blue Dot Fever’ and how is it affecting Syracuse concerts?

Big names like Post Malone, Meghan Trainor and Pussycat Dolls have canceled tour dates.

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May 7 • 11:59 AM EDT • Entertainment • syracuse.com
New OU basketball arena in Rock Creek Entertainment District to break ground

The new home for OU basketball will finally break ground soon. It was announced on Thursday that the Rainier Company, which was hired to build a new Rock Creek Entertainment district, will officially break ground on May 12. OU and the city announced in 2024 their intentions of building a $1.2 billion entertainment district in Rock Creek that would ...

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May 7 • 11:22 AM EDT • Entertainment • msn.com
How Much Microplastic Is Really In The Human Brain? Here's The Science Behind The Headlines

"This is a research field in its infancy, while the general public is being fed with sensational scraps of information."

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May 7 • 10:35 AM EDT • Science • iflscience.com
Rare Pink Katydid Slowly Transforms Green and Upends Camouflage Science

Camouflage is a widely studied antipredator technique that we thought we understood. A rainforest insect, however, is rewriting the textbooks on the subject as it reveals previously unseen behavior. O...

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May 7 • 8:02 AM EDT • Science • yahoo.com
Science diplomacy lessons from a North Korean volcano

Mount Paektu, a mythic, active volcano on the border between North Korea and China, is almost the epitome of a scientific challenge that crosses political lines. In 946 CE, it erupted in one of the five biggest volcanic events of the past 10,000 years, kicking up huge quantities of ash and sending destructive mud flows down river channels for hundreds of kilometres. Should this happen again, the entire region, including easternmost Russia, South Korea and even Japan could be hit. “It’s definitely got the potential to be big,” said James Hammond, a professor of geophysics at Birkbeck, University of London. An eruption on the scale of 946 would have “huge regional impact.” For the past 15 years, Hammond has helped lead a groundbreaking collaboration with North Korean scientists to study the volcano, navigating scientific sanctions, tough export controls on scientific equipment and a long, pandemic-enforced exodus from the country. Although he seems more at home on far-flung research expeditions – before speaking to Science|Business, Hammond was camping out on a Greenland ice sheet – he has also advised the European Commission on its changing science diplomacy strategy. His long experience with North Korea has made Hammond sceptical of blanket bans on science collaboration, no matter the country.This is a live question in Europe, where in the wake of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, institutional ties with Russian universities were almost entirely severed, although some scientists fear this could undermine our understanding of climate change’s impact on the Arctic. Here, Hammond tells the story of the Mount Paektu mission and the policy lessons he takes from it. Ominous rumblingsThe genesis of Hammond’s collaboration came in 2002, when Mount Paektu began to rumble ominously. Earthquake activity picked up and the volcano began to emit unusual gases. North Korean scientists took notice. “People felt we need to know more about this volcano,” said Hammond. In 2011, North Korean vulcanologists put out a request for international expertise to help them learn more. At the time, Hammond and his collaborator, Clive Oppenheimer, were working on a vulcanology project in another sanctioned country, Eritrea, and so decided to answer the call. Within a month, they had flown into Pyongyang. “It was pretty incredible,” recalls Hammond (left). “We were made to feel like honoured guests, and invited to official celebrations.” The scientific opportunity was huge. Paektu is unusually positioned, a thousand kilometres from where tectonic plates rub against each other in the Pacific. “It was an incredibly interesting volcano, but not much research had been done, at least not in the international community,” he said. “There was so much we felt we could do. And we had these partners that were super keen to engage.”The mission received an unusual visitor in the form of volcano-obsessed filmmaker Werner Herzog, who accompanied Hammond and Oppenheimer while directing his 2016 film Into the Inferno about volcanos across the world. Four days into the trip, the German director delivered a long speech about reunification to his North Korean hosts, recalls Hammond. “He got to the heart of the Koreans and how they felt, and how they thought, in a way that I'm not sure I ever will,” he said. UN sanctionsHowever, Hammond realised he’d been “naïve” about how difficult it would be to collaborate with North Korea, which was sanctioned far more heavily than Eritrea. “We didn’t fully appreciate the all-encompassing nature of restrictions,” he said. In 2016, as tensions escalated over Pyongyang’s nuclear tests, a United Nations resolution banned all joint scientific work with North Korea. However, the UN sanctions did allow countries to request carve outs, and the UK successfully requested an exemption for Hammond’s work. Related articlesEU pushes for joint science diplomacy, but care needed to avoid gridlock, experts sayRussia severs its last ties with German scienceAnchor Greenlanders in Arctic climate research, experts tell EU ahead of policy updateExport controls have also delayed Hammond’s work. In one case, it took 18 months to get approval from the UK government to take seismometers, which measure earthquakes, to North Korea. “It was frustrating,” he said. “But they didn’t just say no.” However, one instrument, called an induction coil, used to measure how the earth conducts electricity, was blocked entirely because it can in theory be used to detect submarines. Karaoke bondingSince the collaboration started in 2011, Hammond has visited the country around 15 times, although the pandemic closed off North Korea for more than five years. A trip last November was Hammond’s first since the outbreak. Despite this lengthy interlude, Hammond has deep bonds in the country. The North Korean scientists Hammond works with are somewhat isolated, as they struggle to access the latest research papers and travel to international conferences. That said, they are “excellent geophysicists” and are “very well trained in the field,” he said. Over karaoke and chats about their families, “we’ve made friendships, for sure,” he said. The authorities have to sign-off things like the placement of seismometers, for example, but Hammond said these requests have been approved. “Everything that we've asked for within a scientific context has been delivered.”Scientific backchannels? These kind of personal links between scientists across political lines are one purported benefit of science diplomacy. During the Cold War, some historians argue, scientific contact between the US and Soviet Union laid a groundwork of trust for other cooperation, such as on arms control. Hammond agrees that backchannel contacts to North Korean geophysicists are hardly likely to defuse a military crisis on the Korean peninsula, but the simple fact of the scientific collaboration makes contacts between diplomats that little bit easier. “It creates opportunities to understand each other a little bit better,” he said. “When maybe you have those more difficult discussions as diplomats, it's coming from a slightly better place.” Cutting tiesDrawing lessons from the Mount Paektu mission for today’s links with Russian science isn’t simple. The analogy is far from exact, Hammond said, “because one is essentially a Cold War, versus a pretty hot war in the case of Russia.” But Hammond’s broader argument is that the challenges we face, such as climate change, pandemics, biodiversity loss, pollution and so on, have globalised in an unprecedented way, making blanket shutdowns in collaboration with any country unwise.He’s somewhat critical of the UN scientific sanctions imposed on North Korea in 2016, even though they did allow for exceptions. “I think a blanket halt to some of these things, when we face big global challenges [. . .] that’s quite a risky thing to do,” he said.Institutional endorsement?European academics are still by and large free to work individually with Russian counterparts. However, official, institutional partnerships have largely ended. Shortly following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russian university rectors wrote a public letter endorsing the war, meaning European universities fear official collaboration could also be seen as a kind of endorsement. Hammond acknowledges there is a risk of legitimising regimes, and state-controlled universities, through scientific cooperation. “That’s the trade off you have to make,” he said. Strategic projectsWith Russia, instead of giving a green light to restart all Arctic science, a middle ground might be firing up a few carefully selected “strategic” projects, said Hammond. After all, European countries are still collaborating with Russia on the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, an experimental nuclear fusion plant in the south of France. However, even if Europe did try to revive Arctic science with Russia, there’s no guarantee Russian scientists would play ball. A series of high-profile arrests of physicists in Russia accused of sharing their findings with the outside world has made collaboration fraught. Even before the invasion of 2022, “the Russian regime made it increasingly difficult, and this sort of discouraged people,” Dag Rune Olsen, rector of the Arctic University of Norway, told Science|Business last year.

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May 7 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencebusiness.net
Around the MHS

The latest news from around the Military Health System for the week of May 4-8, 2026, includes the National Intrepid Center of Excellence leading in care for service members with brain injuries, Uniformed Services University medical student competes in an Ironman Triathlon, and an important award for the Alexander T. Augusta Military Medical Center.

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May 7 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • health.mil
Andes virus — the only hantavirus strain that can spread between people — identified as culprit on cruise ship

Laboratory tests have implicated the Andes virus, a specific type of hantavirus, in the cluster of illnesses on the cruise ship MV Hondius.

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May 7 • 7:06 AM EDT • Science • livescience.com
Rubio’s Rome mission balances diplomacy and Republican politics

As global affairs expert Ian Lesser argues, Marco Rubio’s visit to Rome is unlikely to fully repair recent tensions between Washington, Italy and the Vatican, but it could still help ease the political climate. According to Lesser, Rubio embodies a more diplomatic and moderate Republican voice, yet remains constrained by the broader posture of the [...]

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May 7 • 6:12 AM EDT • Politics • decode39.com
Democrats see Senate control within reach — but some big hurdles remain

The political terrain remains forbidding, but the president’s crumbling approval ratings and the Iran war’s weight on the economy offer the party an opening.

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May 7 • 5:00 AM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com
Brain health supplements are booming. Here’s what one longevity expert takes.

Only one has been shown in clinical trials to slow cognitive aging, by about two years. This is what the science says about which supplements work.

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May 7 • 5:00 AM EDT • Health • washingtonpost.com
Cal Poly Humboldt Launches Community Health Degree Aimed at Closing Care Gaps

A new bachelor’s program launching this fall will train students to work as the bridge between underserved communities and a healthcare system that too often leaves people behind.

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May 7 • 3:00 AM EDT • Health • kymkemp.com
Fake rumors, real killings: Inside Congo's deadly health misinformation crisis

In Tshopo, a northeastern Congolese province blanketed in rainforest, rumours rippled through villages late last year claiming a mysterious illness had caused men's genitals to atrophy.

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May 7 • 2:05 AM EDT • Health • reuters.com
Google Pixel May 2026 update fails to fix battery drain issues

Google has started rolling out a new update for Pixel smartphones. However, while the update brings various fixes and improvements, it fails to fix a major issue that users have been facing since the March update.

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May 7 • 1:13 AM EDT • Technology • notebookcheck.net
New WAM Grants Support Research on Gut-Brain Interactions, Menopause and Sarcopenia

The Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement (WAM) at Cleveland Clinic has awarded grants for promising research in sex-based differences in the disease.

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May 7 • 12:03 AM EDT • Health • consultqd.clevelandclinic.org
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Want a Better Brain? New Science Says Coffee Has a Big Benefit You Didn't Know About

New research suggests that both regular and decaf coffee may support gut health, mood, and cognition through changes in the gut microbiome.

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May 7 • 12:00 AM EDT • Science • inc.com
Now we know what Uber paid to buy Chicago’s SpotHero

The purchase price was disclosed today in an SEC filing.

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May 6 • 5:26 PM EDT • Business • chicagobusiness.com
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Frisco to welcome international visitors for FIFA World Cup

The Swedish team will train at Frisco’s Toyota Stadium during the FIFA World Cup this summer.

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May 6 • 4:35 PM EDT • Business • dallasnews.com
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How blueberries, strawberries support brain and heart health

From fresh to frozen, blueberries and strawberries offer nutrients that support brain and heart health when part of a balanced lifestyle.

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May 6 • 4:06 PM EDT • Health • utphysicians.com
The brain's memory center doesn't start as a blank slate, study suggests

Early in life, neural networks in the brain's memory center are highly connected, and they are only later refined into precise systems, a mouse study finds.

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May 6 • 2:10 PM EDT • Science • livescience.com
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In a First, Scientists are Rewinding Human Cells Back to a ‘Youthful’ State. Is This the Dawn of Immortality?

It could start with restoring vision to the eyes, a leading scientist says, and then to internal organs. Even the brain could benefit.

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May 6 • 1:25 PM EDT • Science • popularmechanics.com
Kraft Heinz sees early payoff from $600 million brand bet

Kraft Heinz beat Wall Street expectations as CEO Steve Cahillane said investments in core brands are beginning to revive sales and market share at the Chicago food giant.

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May 6 • 10:34 AM EDT • Business • chicagobusiness.com
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Opinion: Chicago companies offer a playbook for implementing place-based investments

On the South and West Sides of Chicago, place-based investments are bringing jobs, training and capital closer to home and advancing the city’s economy

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May 6 • 9:30 AM EDT • Business • chicagobusiness.com
CEA Retail + Hospitality Winner: Biggers blends produce, entertainment

Biggers Market’s roots run deep, tracing back to the 1940s when founder and partner Sven Wallin’s grandfather, alongside his brothers, opened Biggers Brothers, a family-run produce business in Charlotte. Decades later, the family’s reputation for farm-fresh fruits and vegetables lives on. In 2010, Wallin opened Biggers Market, building on a reputation that endured for the past 16 years. “I learned a lot about my grandfather, who passed away when my mother was young, through my uncle. The one thing that is ingrained in me is my grandfather’s willingness to go the extra mile for a better product, not settling for what’s easy, but finding what is better,” said Wallin. “He taught me the importance of name and reputation. If your name was on it, it had better be right. Word-of-mouth was always very important to gain a good reputation.” So was hard work. Entrepreneurialism has always been central to Biggers Market’s identity, Wallin said. In high school, Wallin worked at a produce stand in Charlotte, an experience that shaped how he thought about food. “I realized all produce was not created equal, and we could focus on freshness, seasonality and flavor. Grocery stores were convenient, but the produce often didn’t have the same taste or quality,” he said. As a college graduate without a paying job, Wallin took a leap and opened a 20-by-30-foot roadside stand with just three employees. “It was so small we had to put tables with umbrellas out in the yard to accommodate everything. We didn’t have pallet jacks or forklifts to unload the trucks. We would form a line and toss watermelons to get them to where they needed to go,” he recalled. In year two, Wallin opened a market on Carolina Beach Road, still in operation today but larger, and later on Market Street, setting up tents for extra space. In 2019, the sale of the land forced a hunt for a new property, and Wallin landed on his current location at 6250 Market St. “We had ambitions beyond produce,” he said. “We wanted this market to be a place that felt different from a typical grocery store.” In 2024, Wallin added his kitchen to the Biggers brand. “I’ve blurred the lines of a market and a grocery store,” Wallin said. “It’s a place where you can shop, eat, have a drink and listen to live music with friends and family. It’s a mix of retail and social experiences cultivated over time.” What hasn’t changed, however, is Wallin’s Southern hospitality, a strong sense of pride, purpose and responsibility and a commitment to seasonality. Spring brings the garden center to life with herbs, veggie plants and jumbo ferns. Summer leans heavily into produce. Fall brings the pumpkin patch, and winter hosts a Christmas market. “It means a lot to have what we’ve built recognized, especially in Wilmington. There’s a lot that goes into the business from our team. And that’s something we’re genuinely grateful for,” Wallin said. With plans underway for a new larger Carolina Beach Road location, Wallin continues to look ahead. “It’s an opportunity to build another market from the ground up and continue growing what we’ve been doing,” he said. “We’ve been through development before, so we understand what it takes.”

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May 6 • 9:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • wilmingtonbiz.com
EQ training is failing leaders in the AI era. Here’s the brain science concept that can replace it

Emotional intelligence is no longer enough — "neurointelligence" is the leadership skill the AI age actually demands.

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May 6 • 7:30 AM EDT • Science • fortune.com
Health officials identify rare human-to-human strain of Hantavirus
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May 6 • 7:11 AM EDT • Health • cbsnews.com
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Ukraine war challenging the Western obsession with 'perfect' weapons

The West has long focused on making exquisite weapons, but the war is demonstrating that weapons that are adaptable and widely available is key.

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May 6 • 5:12 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com
New Hanover sports club submits plans for field and training facility

A local sports organization is expanding its facilities as recreation grows in northern New Hanover County.

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May 6 • 5:02 AM EDT • Sports • starnewsonline.com
From campus to Corps: Public Health grad using community-centered training for global good

Fourteen days after graduating from the University of Kentucky College of Public Health, Morgan Brooke will board a plane for South America and begin her next chapter living out a dream she has carried since childhood.

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May 6 • 4:00 AM EDT • Health • uknow.uky.edu
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How science is taking tripping mainstream

President Trump recently signed an order to speed up the evaluation of psychedelics to treat the brain. That’s coming after decades of strict prohibition on psychedelic drug use dating back to President Nixon. So how did we go from that to a psychedelic renaissance? A look into a key institution in the world of psychedelic research may give us some clues. This episode, NPR’s brain correspondent Jon Hamilton shares insight from a recent trip. (No pun intended.) Want more psychedelic content? Catch our episode on ketamine therapy here, or learn why some scientists want to take the trip out of psychedelics here. Have other questions about psychedelics and the brain? Let us know by emailing shortwave@npr.org!

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May 6 • 3:00 AM EDT • Science • npr.org
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Ukraine releases new video of Flamingo missiles launching into battle

The homegrown FP-5 Flamingos struck a military-industrial site in the Russian city of Cheboksary, about 370 miles east of Moscow.

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May 6 • 2:45 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com
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Eggs and brain health: New study cracks open Alzheimer’s link

A long-term study suggests that eating eggs regularly may be associated with a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease in older adults.

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May 6 • 1:48 AM EDT • Health • fox17.com
New Video: Quick guide for compliance with entertainment permits

A brief training video on key responsibilities and tips for entertainment permit holders

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May 5 • 8:00 PM EDT • Entertainment • sf.gov
Ascension’s small businesses are gaining an edge through free training and certifications

The Microbusiness Enterprise Corporation of Ascension is working to position small businesses to capitalize on the region’s industrial growth, while providing entrepreneurs access to free resources designed to help them scale. Connect with the Microbusiness Enterprise Corporation of Ascension at mbeca.org. “We are a nonprofit organization, very much like the small business development centers located […]

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May 5 • 7:24 PM EDT • Business • businessreport.com
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Seton Hall and TCNJ Partner on Graduate Health Pathways

Seton Hall and TCNJ introduce streamlined pathways into graduate programs in physical therapy, occupational therapy and athletic training.

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May 5 • 11:45 AM EDT • Health • shu.edu
Single dose of magic mushroom psychedelic can cause anatomical brain changes, study finds

Participants took 25mg of psilocybin, reporting deeper psychological insight and better wellbeing a month later

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May 5 • 11:00 AM EDT • Science • theguardian.com
Science gets closer to understanding how a psychedelic trip changes the brain

The small study found evidence that a single trip may alter pathways between parts of the brain responsible for emotional regulation.

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May 5 • 11:00 AM EDT • Health • nbcnews.com
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Science gets closer to understanding how a psychedelic trip changes the brain

The small study found evidence that a single trip may alter pathways between parts of the brain responsible for emotional regulation.

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May 5 • 11:00 AM EDT • Science • nbcnews.com
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Penn State faculty offer two free Mental Health First Aid trainings in June

Penn State faculty members and certified Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Peer Educators Roxanne Atterholt and Tammy Divens are offering free MHFA training sessions on June 15 and June 18.

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May 5 • 9:21 AM EDT • Health • psu.edu
No, these rainbow clouds over Indonesia are not AI

The stunning meteorological phenomenon is 'truly magical.'

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May 5 • 9:11 AM EDT • Science • popsci.com
US Adults Interested in, but Lack Knowledge About, Brain Health

US adults show strong interest in brain health, but very few report knowing a lot about ways to maintain a healthy brain.

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May 5 • 9:10 AM EDT • Health • infectiousdiseaseadvisor.com
Ogilvy invests in sports agency, names first global sports and entertainment chief

Article 41 co-founder Vickie Segar will fill Ogilvy's newly created role as global chief sports and entertainment officer.

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May 5 • 9:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • adage.com