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Orphaned walrus calf rescued from nearby polar bears in Alaska
The calf was transported over 800 miles to safety—without becoming a snack.
One of My Top Three Shows of 2026 Was Just Renewed—Finally
I watch TV for a living, so I see a lot of great television shows. But one of my favorite three shows of the year wasn't renewed for a new season—until this week. Here, why I'm so excited 'Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed' is getting a season two on Apple TV.
Big Tech’s enabling of the ballroom is the worst symbol of our times
The wealthiest companies since the robber baron days -- like Microsoft and Amazon -- greased the skids for an authoritarian vanity project the public doesn't want.
Qualcomm says rumors about Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 overheating are ‘inaccurate’
Qualcomm says that rumors of thermal issues and overheating problems on Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 are "inaccurate."
Weekend reads: Computer science conferences impose caps; Lancet strikes to continue; Is this the ‘mathocalypse’?
If your week flew by — we know ours did — catch up here with what you might have missed. The week at Retraction Watch featured: A company named Springer that isn’t the publisher is offering authors…
Poldark’s resilience helped me turn round my business
Staffing issues, financial woes, equipment failure and a thousand other things made it seem as if being the boss of a dental practice wasn’t for me, but TV’s burly hero inspired me to push on
Why BioWare's Neverwinter Nights still has thousands of active players
The single-player is just OK, but according to the players, that doesn't matter.
Seahawks Handed Blunt Sam Darnold Take Amid Turnover Concerns
Seattle Seahawks QB Sam Darnold is at the center of criticism as the Seahawks offense couldn’t get anything going against the Denver Broncos defense, resulting in a 17-14 Week 6 loss to the Denver Broncos on Oct. 15. Despite the defense limiting the Broncos’ offense to 17 points, that wasn’t enough to get the win. […] The post Seahawks Handed Blunt Sam Darnold Take Amid Turnover Concerns appeared first on HEAVY.
Why is a New York-based betting site donating to Idaho politicians?
A donation doesn’t necessarily buy a vote, a Boise State political science professor said. But it “gets you a foot in the door.”
Can Cereal Be Healthy? Big Companies Are Trying.
As more Americans turn away from the snap, crackle and sugar, the industry is trying to capitalize on our current obsession with wellness.
Los Tacos No. 1 is betting on private equity. Its CEO explains why.
Los Tacos No. 1 took a private equity investment, and customers freaked out. Its CEO promises horse meat isn't coming to the menu: The quality stays.
I'm a CEO who wakes up at 3 am, but I don't make my team do 996 hours
Hardik Jagda, CEO of an AI engineering company, shares why he doesn't ask his team to work 996 hours, even though he starts his day as early as 3 a.m.
Best Disney+ deals and bundles: Best streaming deals in October 2026
Catch the best from Marvel, Star Wars, and more with these Disney+ deals and bundles.
Dear Abby: My adult daughter doesn't want anything to do with me
Dear Abby gives advice to a reader who is struggling to maintain a relationship with her daughter and her grandchildren.
Cleveland Browns Path To The Playoffs
Welcome to my weekly Cleveland Browns rooting guide looking at the best outcomes for the Cleveland Browns. With many of the top quarterbacks in the league not being selected in the first three picks, the Browns winning games isn't a bad thing, it shows the roster is loaded and able to continue improving with another offseason.What we will cover weekly in this article:- Current AFC Playoff Games-...
My iPhone 18 Pro Max just got delivered and I immediately regret the purchase — and I think iPhone Duo is to blame
The iPhone 18 Pro Max isn't nearly as exciting as its foldable counterpart
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(ANALYSIS) Political shamelessness threatens democracy by weakening leaders’ respect for ethical principles and the rule of law. Drawing on Plato’s Laws, this article explores reverence as a virtue that encourages humility, self-restraint and recognition of human limitations, arguing that responsibl
Suspicious letters sent to political offices in Massachusetts
FEATURE: Scientists edge closer to making world of "Ghost in the Shell" a reality
Becoming invisible and uploading human consciousness may sound like something out of the world of the famed cyberpunk anime and manga series "Ghost in the Shell," but two Japanese scientists are working to turn such science fiction concepts into reality.
Colorado health officials confirm measles case, potential exposure at Denver International Airport
California teachers once had fully paid health coverage. Now they're rallying over premiums
"While your income isn't changing, your purchasing power has absolutely fallen."
California Proposition 4 would allow public funding for political campaigns
California Prop. 4 would allow political campaigns to be publicly funded. Here's what to know.
Springville businesses fear festival losses amid SCE power shutoff
Southern California Edison power safety shutoffs left Springville businesses concerned about communication and potential losses.
Good Sports: Bulldog Blitz descending back into the Valley
Some traditions are just too good to stay grounded as a Valley skydiving team is making its way to high school football games.
Traverse City Central's New 'Ride Lab' Uses Skateboards to Teach Physics, Business Skills
What if the most effective physics classroom isn’t a classroom at all, but a skate park? This fall, Traverse City Central High School is experimenting with that very question. Brett Derr is one the teachers behind the Ride Lab, a brand-new double-block course at Central that combines physics, business, marketing, and advertising. In the past, …
Minnesota veterans receiving claims assistance, health exams at clinic
Scientists uncover mystery of how snail shells coil to the right or to the left
Scientists have discovered a gene that determines whether Japanese snails develop shells that are left- or right-coiling—with implications for understanding the underlying handedness of our own bodies. ...
Verizon Will Charge $10 a Month for iPhone Handoff
Verizon plans to charge customers $10 per month for the iPhone Handoff feature that Apple added in iOS 27. iPhone Handoff allows one phone number to be shared across two separate iPhones. Pricing was included in Verizon's iPhone Duo announcement today, with the carrier confirming iPhone Handoff will work with the iPhone Duo and the iPhone 18 Pro models.
East Las Vegas businesses on edge after deadly shooting, 3 suspects sought
A deadly robbery at an east Las Vegas business is now a homicide investigation and the three people police say were involved are still on the run.
Science and Medicine Group (SMG) Names Jasen Holness Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing to Accelerate Customer Growth
Veteran market research and commercial leader will oversee sales and marketing across all of SMG's insights and digital media brands as the company unifies its portfolio.
Final plans for Trump’s arch appear to abandon his ‘military complex’ idea
Newly posted documents make no mention of drones, snipers or other military features announced by the president. A White House official disputed that plans had changed.
AOC's $1 million donation to Abdul El-Sayed sparks political speculation
Patty O’Lexey honored with U of U Health Affiliate Healthcare Champion Award
ROCK SPRINGS -- Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County has announced that Patty O’Lexey, BSN,RN, Director of Education, has been recognized as a University of Utah Health Affiliate Healthcare Champion, an
Shohei Ohtani's Health and a Possible Lockout Loom Over an Uncertain Offseason for the Dodgers
LOS ANGELES (AP) — After their earliest postseason exit in three years, the Los Angeles Dodgers head into the offseason facing uncertainty over next year. Shohei Ohtani was dogged by injuries to his left knee and right biceps over the second half and into the playoffs that rendered him ineffective ...
AI-assisted radiation treatment aims to protect healthy breast tissue
Berkeley Talks: Michael Pollan and Christof Koch talk psychedelics and consciousness
The author and neuroscientist explore how altered states challenge our understanding of the mind — and why consciousness is more than a problem to solve.
Boston stabbing survivor calls for more mental health resources to prevent violence: "It's really a shame"
A 23-year-old man who was stabbed in the neck during an attack in Allston is speaking out about his experience and calling for more mental health resources to help prevent future violence.
Triple stabbing survivor calls for more mental health resources in Boston
Joe Manganiello on why he's sharing his 7-year health journey: "The alternative became too difficult"
ChatGPT gave a man unlicensed medical advice, leading to mental health crisis, lawsuit alleges
Staff Turnover and Missing Funds: A Tumultuous Week at Trump’s White House
With just over two weeks remaining before the midterm elections, things inside the White House are turbulent. Even though President Donald Trump isn’t on the ballot, he is top of mind for many as they head to the polls. Republicans across the country are already working to persuade voters not to ...
Joe Manganiello talks about "lifesaving surgery" and 7-year health journey
Jennifer Balkcom looks to continue her growth in public service
Balkcom is a mortgage loan officer and a two-term state representative in the North Carolina House.
What causes sleep paralysis; health indicators of Alzheimer's diagnosis; sober October; plus other stories with Vanderbilt Health sources
(iStock) Food and Wine interviewed Peter Martin, MD, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, for a story about sober October. William Schaffner, MD, Professor of Preventive Medicine, was quoted in CNN International’s Connect the World with Becky Anderson and NewsNation Morning in America for stories about the reported plague situation in Russia, after a laboratory worker at an institute in Siberia dedicated to studying the plague and other infectious diseases died of a mysterious illness. Prevention interviewed James McGuirk, MD, Assistant Professor, Division of Sleep Medicine, for a story about what causes sleep paralysis. Modern Healthcare interviewed Daniel Fabbri, PhD, Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics and Computer Science, for a story about how health systems are managing AI token costs. WNKY interviewed Ziv Beckerman, MD, Associate Chief of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, Surgical Director of Pediatric Heart Transplantation in the Golisano Pediatric Heart Institute at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt about rapid recovery with extended ultra oxygenated preservation (REUP) that is a new form of preservation for heart organs. Ray Romano, PhD, MPH, MSN, Nurse Practitioner, Vanderbilt Memory & Alzheimer’s Center, was quoted Prevention about research that found other health issues may be an early indicator of Alzheimer’s.
Vail turns up the volume for winter entertainment this season
With the first snowfall on Vail Mountain’s peaks this week and snowmaking efforts underway, anticipation for winter is building fast. This season, Vail is raising the bar with its most ambitious music lineup yet, bringing more live music, more venues...
Chris Mason: Burnham and Swinney tussle over where power lies in Scotland
UK political debate has a distinctly Scottish feel after SNP's annual conference, says the BBC's political editor Chris Mason.
Talking Heads star David Byrne blends “story and science” for unique theater experience
Grammy, Oscar and Tony award winning musician, playwright, author David Byrne is always doing something interesting. One of his latest creative endeavors is his “Theater of the Mind” in…
Mayor Parker’s administration told Congress it doesn’t endorse Krasner and Bilal’s anti-ICE statements
In its report, the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee portrayed Philadelphia as obstructive to ICE, saying that officials ignored 162 detainer requests between January 2024 and June 2026.
This Eerie State of Consciousness Makes Your Brain Feel Broken—but It May Be Keeping You Alive
Suddenly everything becomes unfamiliar...
Trump says press secretary Katie Zacharia should ‘reconsider’ her role
“Maybe it’s not for her,” President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday, saying that he would ultimately leave the decision to Zacharia.
Political analyst talks about upcoming 2nd Congressional District debate and race
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Friday night, KRQE News 13 will host candidates for the hotly contested 2nd Congressional District in New Mexico in a live debate at 5 p.m. Democratic Incumbent Gabe Vasque…
Raiders wide receivers Week 5 snap and production review
Undermanned unit doesn’t produce much in defeat
Colorado confirms first child flu death this season, health experts encourage vaccines
From Snack Bags to Sports Drink Sachets: How PepsiCo Shares Packaging Science Across Foods and Beverages
Galaxy S27 reportedly skips Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 due to overheating
According to a new report, Samsung’s Galaxy S27 series might not use the latest Snapdragon chipset due to overheating problems....
Riverside has a donkey dilemma. Can science offer clues for coexistence?
For students at UC Riverside, the start of fall semester means picking up their class syllabus, catching up with friends and snapping selfies with the adorable wild donkeys that roam
Blue shift: Yet another political forecaster shifts CD 25 race in Jared Moskowitz’s favor
‘The race doesn’t appear to have tightened, so we’re shifting it.’
'Father Of PlayStation' Ken Kutaragi Blames A 'Mentality Issue' For The Backlash To Killing Discs
The Sony veteran doesn't sound very sentimental about the end of physical media on the platform he spearheaded
Jonathan Kuo receives 2026 National Science Foundation CAREER Award
Jonathan Kuo, assistant professor of chemistry, has been honored with a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the U.S. National Science Foundation.
Stand Up for Science Traces the Surprising Story Behind Ozempic and Related Drugs in the Latest 'Traces
Venom from a desert lizard, a hormone that vanishes in minutes & 40 years of persistence: the “overnight” weight loss drug revolution wasn’t overnight at all
'I can't do performances': Billy Joel gives health update after recent brain surgery
"I'm not allowed to drive. And I can't do performances." | Billy Joel opened up about his health in a recent interview, saying that while he is better now, he doesn't know if he'll be able to perform again.
'I can't do performances': Billy Joel gives health update after recent brain surgery
"I'm not allowed to drive. And I can't do performances." | Billy Joel opened up about his health in a recent interview, saying that while he is better now, he doesn't know if he'll be able to perform again.
'I can't do performances': Billy Joel gives health update after recent brain surgery
"I'm not allowed to drive. And I can't do performances." | Billy Joel opened up about his health in a recent interview, saying that while he is better now, he doesn't know if he'll be able to perform again.
'I can't do performances': Billy Joel gives health update after recent brain surgery
"I'm not allowed to drive. And I can't do performances." | Billy Joel opened up about his health in a recent interview, saying that while he is better now, he doesn't know if he'll be able to perform again.
Exclusive-US Strikes One-Year Deal to Fund Maternal and Newborn Health Donations in Poorest Countries
By Ammu Kannampilly, Jennifer Rigby and Victoire Mukenge NAIROBI/LONDON/NYANGEZI, Democratic Republic of Congo, Oct 16 (Reuters) - The US government has struck a deal to continue supplying some of the world's poorest nations with free life-saving medication and equipment for mothers, infants and ...
'We F***ed Up' — Wardogs Boss Admits Season 2 Hasn't Gone Particularly Well
Wardogs developer Bulkhead had some strong words to say about the rough launch of Season 2, admitting: "We f***ed up."
AtScale Finds Semantic Layer Boosts AI Accuracy on Enterprise Data by Up to 2.4x
A more powerful AI model isn’t necessarily the answer to unreliable business analytics. New research from AtScale found that leading AI models answered fewer than 40% of business questions correctly when querying databases directly. But when AtScale added its semantic layer, accuracy improved by 1.7x to 2.4x across all seven models tested. In one test, […]
Having insurance doesn’t mean you can get a mental health appointment
Americans with commercial insurance are generally told they have access to a strong network of mental health providers. But when researchers called providers listed in those networks, securing an appointment was usually difficult or impossible, according to a new study.Researchers, posed as “secret shoppers” looking for appointments for issu...
Analogue is re-releasing its SNES and Genesis consoles with some nice upgrades
Analogue’s SNES and Genesis consoles are back with upgrades.
Talarico compares his campaign to David and Goliath after GOP invests over $158M against him
The Democrat faces more than $158 million in outside spending by Republican leadership and the world's richest man, Elon Musk.
Can AI solve our mental health access problem?
Last week I asked you what worries you most about AI in health. It was close, but your top answer was “AI giving bad health advice.” Last week’s poll results: You’re in good company. This concern was top of mind at a conference I joined at Stanford last week, where researchers, clinicians, and people who build AI systems spent a day debating trust and safety in health AI. Stepping back, I’m also hearing your emerging concerns about AI’s impact on our well-being generally. I see this as a matter of public health, and we’ll take it in pieces as we learn together. Today we’ll focus on AI chatbots used for therapy for mental health. Early this month, Governor Newsom vetoed Senate Bill 903, California’s most ambitious attempt to regulate AI use for mental health. It’s at the center of active debate, and raises the questions patients, family members, citizens, and voters will face as AI moves deeper into health care. Let’s work through it. What is “AI-based therapy”? It’s really two things: purpose-built mental health apps designed to deliver structured support, and general chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini that people increasingly use for emotional support—even if they weren’t built for it. Spoiler alert: I don’t know whether the shift toward AI therapy is good or bad. The evidence isn’t there yet. But I do know it’s already happening, and I have some ideas about how we can roll it out with safety in mind. The therapy dilemma, in a nutshell Mental health challenges are common, and strain health and well-being across populations. Therapy (interactive dialogue with a trained, empathetic practitioner) helps many people heal. The demand for licensed therapists far exceeds the supply in California, and AI-based therapy can narrow that gap. AI-based therapy remains novel, unproven, and not well tested. Right off the bat, we can see we’re dealing with trade-offs here. Since the main driver of demand for therapy from a robot is lack of access to therapy from a human, we’ll start there. It’s too hard to find and afford a human therapist California is short roughly 55,000 licensed, non-prescribing therapists and counselors, about 40% of what we need. Psychiatrists, who rely on talk therapy as a complement to prescribed medications, are even more scarce. Eight counties have none, and density ranges from 1.7 per 100,000 residents in San Benito County, to 68.1 in Marin County. My wife is a psychiatrist in Marin, and even here access is tight. If it’s hard in the best-supplied county, imagine rural Sierra County, or the San Joaquin Valley. In 2024, more than half of Californians who tried to make a mental health appointment struggled to find a provider who took their insurance, compared with 14% for physical health care. When Senate staff posed as “secret shopper” patients and called 120 mental health providers in Medicare Advantage networks, they landed an appointment less than once for every five tries. Insurers pay behavioral health clinicians about 22% less than medical and surgical clinicians for comparable office visits. On top of that, billing denials and prior authorizations hit hardest at the solo and small practices common in mental health. Psychiatrists opt out of Medicare at the highest rate of any specialty. In many places, a cash practice for therapy fills quickly with patients paying $250 or more an hour, with no insurance paperwork at all. Families who can pay cash find providers more easily. Those who rely on insurance, including Medi-Cal enrollees, older adults, rural residents, and non-English speakers, compete for what’s left. So we can’t pretend the human system works, and we can’t blame people for turning to AI for support when they’re in distress. AI is filling the gap It’s estimated that roughly a quarter of AI users use it for mental health support. If you have internet, it’s available 24/7, it’s cheap, and it speaks your language. Uninsured adults are about twice as likely as insured adults to do it (30% vs. 14%). It feels anonymous in ways that may enable people to ask things they’re unsure or embarrassed about. The largely hidden, personal use makes it hard to study whether it’s actually helping people with their mental health issues, but researchers are trying. Does AI therapy work? A 2026 analysis of nearly 40 randomized trials found chatbots showed a real but small reduction in depression symptoms. But most of these trials were compared to an alternative of no therapy, not a human therapist. So the benefit of AI therapy is probably real, but modest, and mostly untested against the alternative of human contact. We need more studies. Serious concerns OpenAI’s own estimate is that more than a million ChatGPT users each week show signs of suicidal planning or intent. These are high stakes encounters, and AI doesn’t always get it right. That’s partly because a chatbot can sound like a therapist, but it has no license, no duty of care, and it’s not clear who to hold accountable when it gets things wrong. AI is also designed to help users in whatever task they’re seeking to accomplish. People may feel like they’re getting therapy, but they’re mainly getting a convincing conversation. It’s easy for an AI companion to wander into gray areas, like playing along with “creative writing” that may be about the user’s own suicidal intent. Courts are driving safety conversations A wave of lawsuits have been filed on behalf of families claiming that chatbots pushed people they loved toward self-harm, including teens who died by suicide. The first settlements came this year. OpenAI is headquartered in San Francisco, and dozens of cases alleging that ChatGPT drove users to suicide or self-harm are now before a San Francisco judge. Character.ai has filed for bankruptcy after several states brought lawsuits accusing the chatbot of pushing dangerous content to kids. But the technology seems to be improving. Last month, an independent evaluation found that newer AI models “almost never endorse suicide.” That’s progress, but our societal appetite for even one preventable death is very low. So how do we move forward? Finding a middle ground Earlier this month the governor vetoed Senate Bill 903, a bill designed to place guardrails on the use of AI for therapy. The bill would have prohibited any AI-based platform from being advertised as psychotherapy, and would have required a licensed professional to review and approve each encounter where AI was used to support therapeutic decisions. Newsom called it overly broad, since even routine screening questions would have needed clinician sign-off. Knowing we’re already short on mental health providers, requiring human review of AI encounters may not relieve our access problems. Still, the answer isn’t no oversight. Here’s one feasible short term solution. Rather than reviewing each encounter, a licensed clinician can design the guardrails: what counts as a crisis, what triggers an immediate handoff to a human, and what gets sampled for audit each month. The AI runs inside that structure. Conversations get checked, failures get reported, and a real clinician owns the framework. Medicine already has models to learn from. The FDA process for rolling out newly approved medications is an example. After a product reaches patients, we keep watching for adverse events. Patient-facing AI needs the same “digital pharmacovigilance”: systematic tracking of harms, near misses, and the types of groups that get hurt and why. It’s also critical that users know that they can reach a human if they’re in crisis. Most chatbots now include messages like these: Bottom line The rush to use unproven AI tools for mental health support is mostly a workaround, a sign of a health system people can’t get into. We need better access to proven care from licensed clinicians. That takes reimbursement that makes accepting insurance viable, and a bigger workforce. But, built and tested well, AI could be part of the answer. It could be the 2 a.m. check-in when no one else is awake, or a way for patients to practice skills their therapist taught them. It could be the first step to get someone the right level of care, and take paperwork off clinicians’ plates so they spend more time with patients. None of this is simple. The SB 903 veto doesn’t end the debate, and the legislature will be back. In the meantime, those of us using these tools need to stay informed, ask hard questions, and hold the companies building them accountable. I’ll try to do my part, and we’ll keep learning together. Love,Matt P.S. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988- you’ll reach a real person— or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7. Dr. Matt Willis is the author of Your Local Epidemiologist in California. A California native, he’s served as a primary care physician, CDC epidemiologist, and public health officer for Marin County, where he guided the pandemic response. He lives in Marin with his family and their dogs, Teddy and Ramona. Thank you Cynthia He, MD, PhD, and Parnika Saxena, MD, for their guidance in preparing this article. Cynthia works in an outpatient mental health clinic, treating patients who have Medi-Cal or, sometimes, no insurance. Parnika works in an inpatient psychiatric unit, treating patients with public or private insurance or self-pay ability. All opinions are their own and do not represent their employers.
Windows 11 Is Finally Becoming the OS It Should Have Been From the Start
Microsoft is completely redesigning parts of its OS so it doesn't hog all the resources of lower-end PCs with 8GB of RAM.
Opinion | Teaching Climate Science to Judges Isn’t Indoctrination
We teach judges what the science shows while leaving the legal conclusions where they belong: with the judges.
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment urges flu vaccine after child death
Morocco health alert issued due to diphtheria: US Embassy
In the North African country of Morocco, the country’s Ministry of Health reported a small diphtheria outbreak with clusters in multiple regions in Morocco in late September. Moroccan health teams are tracing contacts and providing preventive treatment and vaccines. This has prompted the US Embassy to issue a health alert for U.S. citizens in Morocco. Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection. It spreads primarily from person to person through coughs and sneezes (respiratory droplets). Most Americans were vaccinated as children and have received Td or TdaP boosters as adults. The risk to U.S. citizens in Morocco remains low. U.S. Citizens may contact their local doctors if they would like immunizations. Embassy officials advise citizens to watch out for the following symptoms: Sore throat or hoarse voice, mild fever, a thick gray or white coating in the throat or nose, swollen neck and trouble swallowing or breathing. If you or a family member has trouble breathing or swallowing, please contact your local doctor. They also advise on the following actions concerning vaccines: Check your vaccination records and your family members’ records. Get a booster if you need one. Adults need a diphtheria booster (Td or Tdap) every 10 years. Make sure your children are up to date on their routine vaccines. Outbreak News Today is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
Plague is stoppable. The next health threat may not be.
The word plague is scary. Centuries ago, the Black Death killed tens of millions of people and changed the course of history. Plague still kills people around the world, and the word still evokes catastrophe. New fears of plague surfaced on October 2, when a lab worker in Irkutsk, Russia, died of pneumonia. Reports suggested that she may have contracted plague through a laboratory exposure. Understandably, people were alarmed. On October 7, the World Health Organization called for the Russian Federation to be transparent about what it knew. WHO issued an update on October 10. Russian authorities told WHO that testing did not identify plague and that investigations found no laboratory release. WHO said confidence in its risk assessment remained limited and that further clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory information was needed. The cause of the woman’s illness remains unknown, and WHO says a laboratory-associated exposure cannot be excluded. As I explained in a recent interview, this incident is very unlikely to lead to a pandemic. Plague is still active, including in the U.S., which sees a handful of cases each year. But it is a disease we can prevent and treat. Plague doesn’t spread readily, and it responds to antibiotics. The standard response—isolate the patient, trace contacts, and administer antibiotics and monitor for symptoms among contacts for seven days—works. We have even planned for antibiotic-resistant plague. At CDC, we developed a playbook for antibiotic-resistant plague and ran exercises on how to find and stop it. CDC guidance anticipates engineered resistance and recommends two different classes of antibiotics if there’s reason to suspect it. There is no evidence that resistance—or even confirmed plague—is involved in this incident. We have thought through how to address plague, but we’re not ready for the next major health threat that emerges from a lab or from animal spillover to humans. What should concern people is how little stands between the world and the next pathogen to get loose. Since peak COVID, epidemic preparedness has fallen off the political agenda, but the risk is greater than ever. More labs handle dangerous pathogens with more ways to make those pathogens deadlier, and more people live and work in close contact with animals. There are actions we can take now: We need better lab safety in every country. The number of labs that work with dangerous pathogens has increased worldwide over two decades, but there’s no enforceable international standard and no inspection regime; the Biological Weapons Convention, fifty years on, still has no verification mechanism. Labs that study dangerous germs need strong safety systems, training, and oversight. We need to reduce spillover events. Three in four emerging human infections start in animals, and there’s a lot we can do to reduce spillover risk, but the world is doing very little of it. Live-animal markets are one place to act. For instance, closing live-bird markets helped control H7N9 influenza in China. Reducing opportunities for people to encounter infected animals can prevent infections before they become outbreaks. In The Formula for Better Health, which is now out in paperback along with the hardcover, Kindle, and audiobook versions, I argue that labs do too many risky experiments with too many dangerous pathogens in too many institutions, and that every experiment should first answer one basic question: Is the likely benefit greater than the risk? Spillover risk can also be reduced: In the book, I discuss how Brazil cut its deforestation rate by 70% from 2004 to 2012 while increasing agricultural production and reducing risky contact between people and forest animals. We need faster detection and response. Delay costs lives. Strong surveillance, good labs, and trained responders can turn a single case into a small cluster of infections instead of an epidemic. Resolve to Save Lives has worked for nearly a decade to help countries find and stop outbreaks faster. The 7-1-7 target, which Resolve to Save Lives developed with partners in Uganda and elsewhere, provides a clear standard: detect within 7 days, notify within 1 day and complete all essential early response actions within 7 days. In Uganda’s Kasese district, for example, a review of a measles outbreak using 7-1-7 identified shortages of accessible funds, fuel, and vehicles that delayed the response. District leaders established funds they could access quickly. When, a few months later, the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever appeared, the district detected it in three days, notified authorities in one, and mounted an effective response in two. Only one case was confirmed, and the patient survived. Because funds were available before the emergency, authorities were prepared and able to act. This kind of preparation can’t wait until the next crisis begins. Plague is an old disease we that know how to stop. The next threat may be harder to recognize, harder to treat, and easier to spread. Safer labs, less risk of spillover, and faster outbreak detection and response need sustained investment now, while we still have time to prevent the next emergency. Share
Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra Review: Complicated, yet So Damn Worth Getting Stuck In
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra isn't just a MacBook Pro for PCs. It's a strong sign that local compute power is what we actually need in the so-called "AI era."
Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia predicts team will win opening round playoff series — and the NBA season hasn't even started
Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia predicts first-round playoff win, says UWM stock decline won't affect team ownership.
Health experts push for more cancer screenings amid Pope Leo's lung cancer prognosis
Tennessee Titans news: Cam Ward eyes bounce back vs. Colts
The Tennessee Titans are hoping to snap their losing streak in Week 6.
Douglas County, a Republican stronghold, turns a lighter shade of red
Douglas County is turning a lighter shade of red — and its ramifications could reverberate from the local school board to Colorado's seat of power to Washington, D.C., though the prevailing expectation is that Republicans will keep the congressional seat in their column.
Maryland football vs. Rutgers preview
The Terps are looking to snap a four-game skid with their first Big Ten win.
Opinion: Healthcare isn’t just a business expense. It’s a business strategy.
The highest-value healthcare dollar is spent before someone gets ill, writes Henry Ford Health CEO Bob Riney.
Opinion: Healthcare isn’t just a business expense. It’s a business strategy.
The highest-value healthcare dollar is spent before someone gets ill, writes Henry Ford Health CEO Bob Riney.
Sun River Health partners with OwnaHealth for virtual diabetes care
OwnaHealth aims to serve the roughly 100,000 patients across Sun River Health who have type 2 diabetes or obesity, the company said.
6 green sea turtles swim to freedom after months of rehab in Ponce Inlet
Frogish, Mangrove Snapper, Highland Cow, Nurse Shark, Armadillo and Silkie Chicken returned to their natural habitats at the Beach Street Ramp.
Blame Snapdragon: An Exynos-powered Galaxy S27 Ultra is now more likely than ever
Samsung might be forced to ship the Galaxy S27 Ultra with Exynos instead of Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 due to performance issues.
BankFive president named Women Who Mean Business honoree
The Boston Business Journal selected BankFive President Anne Tangen as one of 10 honorees in its Women Who Mean Business program.
Executive Profile: Cactus Sam Harris
Cactus Sam Harris House Organist, Board Member Warnors Theatre What we do: Warnors Theatre is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving one of Fresno's great historic landmarks while providing a place for entertainment, the
The People on the Move 10/16/2026
MANUFACTURING Fresno company Netafim USA, the precision agriculture business of Orbia, has appointed Jason Scheibel as senior director of sales for North America and Brian Shade as regional sales manager to support the company's