splitscreen released by CBS and Turner respectively
images released by CBS and Turner respectively
NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley has donated $1 million to an academy in New Orleans that just produced two groundbreaking young mathematicians.
The story begins last year when GNN reported on the success of two high school teens 2,000 years in the making.
Calcea Johnson and Ne’Kiya Jackson from St. Mary’s Academy in New Orleans said they had solved the Pythagorean Theorem using trigonometry. Classical Greek brainiac Pythagoras created a theorem that goes like this.
The area of the square whose side is the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is equal to the sum of the areas of the squares on the other two sides. It is written as a2+b2=c2.
One of the interesting things about this bedrock mathematical equation is that for 2,000 years, no mathematician has been able to demonstrate the truth of it without simply using the equation itself as proof; what is called circular logic, and not accepted as true evidence of proof.
Johnson and Jackson reference Elisha Loomis’s The Pythagorean Proposition, a book investigating this concept, which “flatly states that ‘there are no trigonometric proofs because all the fundamental formulae of trigonometry are themselves based upon the truth of the Pythagorean Theorem,’” the girls wrote.
Following up on this 2,000-year-old conundrum, the two young women presented findings of the ‘Law of Sines,’ which they say proves fundamental truths in trigonometry without relying on the trigonometric equations themselves as evidence.
This accomplishment, which was featured on CBS’ 60 Minutes, piqued the inspiration of Charles Barkley, who announced that he would give the academy a $1 million grant to help the institution continue to hone the talents of students like Jackson and Johnson.
“[Barkley] has a love and passion for what the academy stands for and how it is shaping the lives and futures of young girls in New Orleans,” a representative of the academy said, according to Nola.
“This transformative gift will assist students as they excel and achieve whatever dream they create within the walls of St. Mary’s Academy,” the academy’s president Pamela Rogers, said in a press release.
Barkley, who will be donating $100K every year for ten years, recently made GNN headlines for turning down broadcasting contracts totaling $100 million that would have required him to leave TNT Sports after it lost the rights to broadcast the NBA.
Entering the last year of NBA coverage, Barkley stayed on to ensure that all the staff who produce his television work keep their jobs until the end of the 2024-2025 NBA season.
“I love my TNT Sports family,” Barkley said in a statement released by Turner. “My #1 priority has been and always will be our people and keeping everyone together for as long as possible.”
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Thomas Cavendish and Vasco Da Gama - Sailko 3.0. CC
On this day in history, two masters of early ocean exploration returned to their prospective homes—Vasco da Gama 525 years ago to Lisbon, and Thomas Cavendish 436 years ago to Plymouth. The former had chartered the first European course to India via the Cape of Good Hope, while the latter completed the world’s first intentional circumnavigation. As it happened, Cavendish’s trip also saw the capture of the Santa Anna, the largest Spanish treasure ship ever to fall prey to English privateers. READ more about these accomplishments in seafaring… (1499, 1588)
A crown-like device has been relieving patients of pain and depression in clinical trials, and has the authors excited.
Called the Diadem, named for a crown-like adornment worn by sovereigns across time, it sends therapeutic sound waves to targeted regions of the brain with millimeter precision.
These sorts of non-pharma treatments can raise eyebrows with some, as for the last generation, the prescription of SSRIs for depression has been widespread and nearly universal among American clinicians.
But the paper’s lead author Tom Riis, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Utah, reports rave reviews among his team.
“We’ve been blown away by the positive results so far,” Rise told New Atlas. “After just a single 40-minute stimulation session, patients are showing immediate, clinically substantial improvements in symptoms.”
“While it should be kept in mind that not every participant saw drastic improvement, in the ones that did the change could be quite remarkable,” he added. “For several, you could just see it in their eyes—coming out of the session, their mood and behavior were a total 180 from when they had walked in. They were noticeably at ease, less burdened, more present.”
The paper on the device was conducted during phase 2 clinical trials, and the authors, blown away by the results as they admitted, are quickly looking to advance to phase 3.
In the phase 2 results, among 20 people who were treated with the Diadem, 60% of the patients reported a 33% reduction in pain immediately following treatment. When tested on those with clinically significant depression, 10 of 14 reported remission one week later after just one session with the device.
The Diadem works by sending ultrasonic frequencies to specific areas of the brain like the anterior cingulate cortex which is partly the center of pain and emotional regulation in our minds.
Thanks to the device’s sophistication, the research team was able to penetrate the skull with the sound waves and reach the cortex to a millimeter level of precision.
One patient reported it felt like their brain had “woken up” while another one shared an anecdote of walking around the supermarket: “I was walking around the grocery store and just felt so clear. I was wondering, is this what normal people feel like?”
Labradors Eric and Flo assist the staff at 900-year-old Tewkesbury Abbey in Gloucestershire, England – SWNS
Labradors Eric and Flo assist the staff at 900-year-old Tewkesbury Abbey in Gloucestershire, England – SWNS
Meet Eric and Florence who became official staff members at an historic English abbey—even though they are dogs.
The black Labradors belong to the lay minister who assists with every aspect of the Tewkesbury Abbey in Gloucestershire—and they became regulars due to a sudden scheduling conflict.
As the head “verger” of the church, Chris Skepper was left in a quandary last year when his wife and daughter went away from home for an extended period of time leaving him alone with the two dogs.
He decided to seek permission to bring Eric and ‘Flo’ to work with him, so they would not be left on their own for long stretches.
They now arrive like clockwork at Tewkesbury Abbey every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and two Sundays a month—having been dubbed official ‘assistant vergers’.
The pair are also acting as therapy dogs for anyone who visits the Abbey—and they even don their own name badges.
“People absolutely love them—staff and visitors alike,” said Chris.
“They have added to the positive atmosphere here at the abbey and have had such a warm welcoming.”
“It was agreed initially that the dogs were allowed to come in temporarily for those three weeks, as long as they were well behaved and didn’t interfere.”
Eric and Flo at the Tewkesbury Abbey – SWNS
“But they got such a positive reaction from members of staff and visitors that they were allowed to stay.”
Eric and Flo now come to work with Chris and follow him around the Abbey. During services, they lie quietly on their mats in the side aisle.
On their working days, Chris asks visitors at the door if they would like to meet the dogs, which are 9 and 10 years old.
He has worked at the historic property since 2019, and has cared for the two black Labs since they were puppies.
He explains how the dogs provide a welcoming reception to people who may not be familiar with the Church.
“If you are involved in the Church, you forget how daunting it can be for non-church people to come into the building. There are these big dark doors, and people are not always sure what is going to happen when they go in.
“But then they come in, see the dogs, and think, ‘oh that’s ordinary! They can relate and it breaks down barriers.”
“Even if they don’t want to interact with the dogs, it puts a smile on their face.”
Chris says lots of people want to interact with the dogs, and he reports that they are very obedient with tasks and requests.
“Labradors are bred for a job, and they want to be with you and please you. As long as you give clear direction, they know their purpose.”
Chris explains how a verger is responsible for doing all the ‘behind the scenes preparation’ for the Abbey–including preparing for all the services, moving chairs, polishing, and cleaning.
Chris says the Labradors are especially brilliant at their new jobs.
“I can tell, when I bring them to work and they hop out the car and I put their lanyards on, that they they know what they’re doing—and their tails are wagging away!”
*EMBARGOED UNTIL 19.00 BST, THURS SEPT 5 (14.00 ET)*
Illustration of skin tissues rendered transparent following saturation by FD & C Yellow 5. Release date September 5 2024. A revolutionary new technique uses food dye to provide a "window" into the body by making skin transparent. Researchers made the skin on the skulls and abdomens of live mice see-through by applying a mixture of water and a common yellow food colouring called tartrazine. The ground-breaking technique, described in the journal Science, gives medics a new way to see organs within a body by rendering overlying tissues transparent to visible light. It is yet to be tested on humans as food dyes as food dyes can be harmful. But the process was reversible in tests with animals, and scientists say it may ultimately apply to several medical uses - from locating injuries to monitoring digestive disorders and identifying cancers.
Illustration of skin tissues rendered transparent following saturation with food dye – via SWNS
A revolutionary new technique uses food dye to provide a “window” into the body by making skin transparent.
By applying a mixture of water and a common yellow food coloring called tartrazine, researchers made the skin on the skulls and abdomens of live mice see-through.
The ground-breaking technique, described in the journal Science, gives medics a new way to see organs within a body by rendering overlying tissues transparent to visible light.
Also known as Yellow Dye #5, the technique needs to be tested on humans, as certain food dyes have negative side effects.
But the process was reversible in tests with animals, and scientists say it may ultimately apply to several medical uses—from locating injuries to monitoring digestive disorders and identifying cancers.
“Looking forward, this technology could make veins more visible for the drawing of blood, make laser-based tattoo removal more straightforward, or assist in the early detection and treatment of cancers,” said Dr. Guosong Hong, of Stanford University who helped lead the work.
“For example, certain therapies use lasers to eliminate cancerous and precancerous cells, but are limited to areas near the skin’s surface. This technique may be able to improve that light penetration.″
The researchers developed a way to predict how light interacts with dyed biological tissues. The predictions required a deep understanding of light scattering, as well as the process of refraction, when light changes speed and bends as it travels from one material into another.
The team explained that scattering is the reason we cannot see through our body. Fats, fluids within cells, proteins, and other materials each have a different refractive index, a property that dictates how significantly an incoming light wave will bend.
In most tissues, those materials are closely compacted together, so the varied refractive indices cause light to scatter as it passes through. It is the scattering effect that our eyes interpret as opaque and colored.
The researchers realized if they wanted to make biological material transparent, they had to find a way to match the different refractive indices so light could travel through unimpeded.
Building on fundamental insights from the field of optics, the researchers realized dyes which are the most effective at absorbing light can also be “highly effective” at directing light uniformly, through a wide range of refractive indices.
One dye the researchers predicted would be particularly effective was tartrazine. When dissolved into water and absorbed into tissues, tartrazine molecules turned out to be perfectly structured to match refractive indices and prevent light from scattering—resulting in transparency.
The research team first tested the technique on thin slices of chicken breast. As tartrazine concentrations increased, the refractive index of the fluid within the muscle cells rose until it matched the refractive index of the muscle proteins—and the slice became transparent.
The researchers then gently rubbed a temporary tartrazine solution on mice.
First, they applied the solution to the scalp, rendering the skin transparent to reveal blood vessels criss-crossing the brain.
Then they applied the solution to the abdomen, which faded within minutes to show contractions of the intestine and movements caused by heartbeats and breathing.
When the dye was rinsed off, the tissues quickly returned to normal. The tartrazine did not appear to have long-term effects, and any excess was excreted in waste within 48 hours.
The researchers suspect that injecting the dye should lead to even deeper views within organisms, with implications for both biology and medicine.
“We combined the yellow dye, which is a molecule that absorbs most light, especially blue and ultraviolet light, with skin, which is a scattering medium,” said study lead author Dr. Zihao Ou, Assistant Professor of physics at The University of Texas, Dallas.
“Individually, these two things block most light from getting through them. But when we put them together, we were able to achieve transparency of the mouse skin.”
“For those who understand the fundamental physics behind this, it makes sense; but if you aren’t familiar with it, it looks like a magic trick.
“In addition, it’s very inexpensive and efficient; we don’t need very much of it to work.”
The researchers have not yet tested the process on humans, whose skin is about 10 times thicker than a mouse’s. They don’t know how much would be necessary to penetrate the entire thickness.
Human medicine today includes ultrasound technology to look deeper inside the living body—but the expense makes it inaccessible to a broad audience, while a method based on food dye would not be.
“Our research group is mostly academics, so one of the first things we thought of when we saw the results of our experiments was how this might improve biomedical research.
“Optical equipment, like the microscope, is not directly used to study live humans or animals because light can’t go through living tissue.
“But now that we can make tissue transparent, it will allow us to look at more detailed dynamics. It will completely revolutionize existing optical research in biology.”
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A boy who nearly died after he was shot in the head as a baby is now set to walk a 5k for the hospital that saved him.
Harry Studley was just 18-months-old when a 24-year-old neighbor was cleaning his air rifle in 2016 and aimed it at the crying toddler, saying he thought it was unloaded. The pellet lodged in Harry’s brain causing a displaced skull fracture, as well as swelling and bleeding on the brain.
Harry was given a one percent chance of survival, but pulled through. He was left with serious conditions, though, and still suffers epilepsy, partial blindness, weakness, and some cognitive issues.
Now nine, Harry and his dad Ed will take part in the Grand Walk for the Grand Appeal on Sunday, September 15th, raising money for Bristol Royal Hospital for Children in England.
“Five kilometers may not seem like a lot to some, but for Harry it’s a huge challenge as he still struggles with his mobility and gets very tired.
“The Bluebell Ward at Bristol Children’s Hospital is a neurosurgery unit. Without the amazing care and hard work by the staff on that ward, Harry wouldn’t be here today.
“In 2016, Bluebell was our home for 4 months after Harry was shot in the head with a air rifle. He was given a one percent chance of survival, but with the determination of our family and the great work and care from the Bluebell staff Harry survived.
Little Harry Studley being reunited with the paramedics who saved him – SWNS
Reprinted via EarthTalk®, From the Editors of E – The Environmental Magazine
How can homeowners make their homes greener and more efficient to cash in on rebates and incentives available under Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act?
The White House’s 2022 Inflation Reduction Act created $8.8 billion in tax credits and rebates to help lower- and middle-income homeowners contribute to the country’s emission reduction goals.
Federal tax credits
The bulk of these incentives come from federal tax credits which, like the act’s state-based rebates, are available through September 2031, and can be applied retroactively to purchases or installations after August 2022.
The Residential Clean Energy Tax Credit covers up to 30 percent of installation costs for alternative energy sources including solar panels, small wind turbines, geothermal heat pumps and battery storage systems.
The $3,200 Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, on the other hand, covers upgrades to existing energy sources. The credit can be applied with a cap of $1,200 to new windows and skylights (up to $600), new doors (up to $500), and improvements to insulation (up to 30 percent).
Rebates in your state
Out of the 23 total states that have applied for funding to provide their residents with rebates, eight have recently been approved: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Indiana, Maine, New Mexico, Rhode Island and Washington. Two more, New York and Wisconsin, have already begun distribution of the rebates and The Department of Energy expects that several states will join later in 2024.
The Home Efficiency Rebate Program (HOMES), offers rebates of up to $8,000 and $4,000 respectively for low- and middle-income households that can cut energy usage by 35 percent or more.
The Home Electrification and Appliance Rebate boasts a cap of $14,000 in rebates per household and is expected to follow implementation of HOMES. Under HEAR, low and middle income homeowners can expect 50-100 percent point of sale coverage on several appliances including up to $8,000 for electric heat pumps; $1,600 for insulation and air sealing; $2,500 for electric wiring; and $840 for electric stoves, ovens and heat pump clothes dryers.
Cut emissions and save money
Energy upgrades have the potential to save homeowners money year after year, beyond rebates from installation, because a more efficient home will reduce your energy bills.
Furthermore, green homes can qualify for benefits such as a $5,000 tax credit if they meet the Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Home standards. A qualified home energy auditor can help homeowners looking to cash in on the myriads of incentives determine which upgrades fit best with their homes and budgets.
As with prior legislation, this law defines lower- and middle-income Americans as those making 150 percent or less of their Area Median Income, or the midpoint of their local area’s income distribution.
Plan ahead to file your taxes next year to include the Residential Energy Credits—even if you did the upgrades on your home last year. Use Form 5695, which you can learn about here.
EarthTalk® is produced by Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss for the 501(c)3 nonprofit EarthTalk. See more at emagazine.com. To donate, visit Earthtalk.org. Send questions to: [email protected].
Quote of the Day: “If all the cars in the United States were placed end to end, it would probably be Labor Day Weekend.” – Doug Larson
Photo by: Aleksandr Popov
With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?
Happy Birthday to the singer-songwriter Pink, who turns 45 years old today. Before fame, she dreamed of being an Olympic athlete from Pennsylvania, but developed asthma and started writing lyrics. Her collaborative rendition of the song Lady Marmalade for the Moulin Rouge soundtrack rose to #1 and earned Pink one of her three Grammy Awards. READ more about Alecia Moore… (1979)
A miracle IVF baby has tied the knot with a woman who was born steps away from him in the same hospital on the same day.
Newborn Ross Watson made headlines when he was born on August 21, 1994—and the headlines are continuing 30 years later.
Last month he celebrated his 30th birthday alongside his new bride Annika and his family, which had previously believed the special occasion might not ever happen.
His mother Carol had been told she would never have children. But, thanks to the newest fertility treatment, Ross proved to be the lucky IVF embryo—after it was frozen for 14 months.
Carol and husband Alan spent almost $10,000 (£8,000) on IVF treatment and, forever afterward, Ross was considered a miracle baby.
It was the last chance for his parents to have a baby, and it culminated in Ross being born at Wordsley Hospital near Stourbridge, England—completely unaware his future wife was arriving into the world that same morning.
Years later Ross met Annika while studying at the same college—and they soon realized they had the same birthday.
They got another surprise when they discovered the incredible coincidence they had been born in exactly the same hospital, only two hours apart.
Ross and Annika became husband and wife in June on the Greek island of Skiathos and spent their 30th birthdays honeymooning together in Italy.
“My parents didn’t talk a lot about that time when I was growing up,” said Ross. “But I was fully aware of what they had gone through and I’ll always be thankful for what they had to go through.
“After going through IVF so many times, they both agreed it would be the last time as they couldn’t face the heartbreak of it not working again, so I was their last chance and a bit of a miracle.
“I’ll also always be thankful for the time, energy, and money that they went through to bring me into this world.
At college, Annika and Ross met through mutual friends, but it took seven years before they got together.
“We always knew we shared a birthday, but it was only after we got together that we were looking at our passports and saw we were both born in Wordsley.
“So we both stopped and said where we were born and we realized we were born at Wordsley Hospital.
“We’ve also spoken to our parents and they said that it’s entirely possible that they could have been in the same room at the same time, although they wouldn’t have known each other, but it’s quite nice to know that we’ve found our way together.”
Ross’ said that while he doesn’t believe in fate, he couldn’t deny there was something strange about the way things had come together.
“In terms of my relationship with Annika, it’s very unusual sometimes, and the wavelength we run on.
“We are extremely different as people, because Annika is really outgoing and I’m a bit more reserved—however, we often think in the same way and say things out of the blue at exactly the same time and it almost feels like telepathy.”
“I don’t tend to reflect on things too much (but) it’s something to sit back and reflect on that fact that the chances of being brought into this world the way I was were extremely unlikely—and the steps my parents went through is kind of a feat in itself.
“To be having this conversation is very nice as it’s let me look back and think about how lucky I was to be brought into the world, meet my soulmate, and live my life.”
Annika added: “Being an IVF baby, his parents were very excited and there’s loads of videos. We’ve watched them back to see if we can spot my parents but you can’t.
“He was a month premature, so I often say he stole my birthday.”
IS IT FATE OR LUCK? Ask Your Friends On Social Media…
Credit: MRC Laboratory of Medical Science / Duke-NUS Medical School
Mice on the right display graying and hair loss – Credit: MRC Laboratory of Medical Science / Duke-NUS Medical School
Scientists have discovered that ‘switching off’ a protein called IL-11 can significantly increase the healthy lifespan of mice by almost 25%.
The UK researchers at Medical Research Council Laboratory and Imperial College London, worked with colleagues at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore to test the effects on mice that had the interleukin 11 gene deleted, which extended the lives of the mice by over 20% on average.
They treated 75-week-old mice—equivalent to the age of about 55 years in humans—with an injection of an anti-IL-11 antibody, a drug that stops the effects of the IL-11 in the body.
The results were dramatic, with mice given the anti-IL-11 drug from 75 weeks of age until death having their median lifespan extended by 22.4% in males and 25% in females. The mice lived for an average of 155 weeks, compared with 120 weeks in untreated mice.
The treatment largely reduced deaths from cancer in the animals, as well as reducing the many diseases caused by fibrosis, chronic inflammation and poor metabolism, which are hallmarks of aging. There were very few side effects observed.
“These findings are very exciting,” said Professor Stuart Cook, a co-author of the July paper published inNature.
“The treated mice had fewer cancers, and were free from the usual signs of aging and frailty, and we also saw reduced muscle wasting and improvement in muscle strength.”
“While these findings are only in mice, it raises the tantalizing possibility that the drugs could have a similar effect in elderly humans. Anti-IL-11 treatments are currently in human clinical trials for other conditions, potentially providing exciting opportunities to study its effects in aging humans in the future.”
After investigating IL-11 for many years, the researchers in 2018 were the first to show that IL-11 is a pro-fibrotic and pro-inflammatory protein, overturning years of incorrect characterization as anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory.
Assistant Professor Anissa Widjaja, who was co-corresponding author, explained how the project began back in 2017. “A collaborator of ours sent us some tissue samples for another project. Out of curiosity, I ran some experiments to check for IL-11 levels. From the readings, we could clearly see that the levels of IL-11 increased with age and that’s when we got really excited!”
“We found these rising levels contribute to negative effects in the body, such as inflammation and preventing organs from healing and regenerating after injury. Although our work was done in mice, we hope that these findings will be highly relevant to human health, given that we have seen similar effects in studies of human cells and tissues.
Previously, scientists have wondered whether IL-11 was an evolutionary hangover in humans, because while it is vital for limb regeneration in some animal species, it is thought to be largely redundant in humans.
However, after around age 55 in humans, more IL-11 is produced and past research has linked this to chronic inflammation, fibrosis in organs, disorders of metabolism, muscle wasting (sarcopenia), frailty, and cardiac fibrosis—all signs associated with aging.
When two or more such conditions occur in an individual, it is known as multi-morbidity, which encompasses a range of conditions including lung disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, vision and hearing decline, and a host of other conditions.
“The IL-11 gene activity increases in all tissues in the mouse with age,” continues Professor Cook, “causing loss of function across the whole body, ranging from eyesight to hearing, from muscle to hair, and from the pump function of the heart to the kidneys.”
Currently, no treatment for multi-morbidity is available, other than to try to treat the separate underlying causes individually.
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY – Week of September 7, 2024
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
In all of world history, which author has sold the most books? The answer is Agatha Christie, born under the sign of Virgo. Readers have bought over 2 billion copies of her 70-plus books. I present her as a worthy role model for you during the next nine months. In my astrological opinion, this will be your time to shine, to excel, to reach new heights of accomplishment. Along with Christie, I invite you to draw encouragement and inspiration from four other Virgo writers who have flourished: 1. Stephen King, 400 million in sales from 77 books. 2. Kyotaro Nishimura, 200 million in sales from over 400 books. 3. Leo Tolstoy, 413 million from 48 books. 4. Paul Coelho, 350 million from 28 books.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
Centuries before the story of Jesus Christ’s resurrection, there was a Greek myth with similar themes. It featured Persephone, a divine person who descended into the realm of the dead but ultimately returned in a transfigured form. The ancient Festival of Eleusis, observed every September, honored Persephone’s down-going and redemption—as well as the cyclical flow of decay and renewal in every human life. In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to observe your own version of a Festival of Eleusis by taking an inventory: What is disintegrating and decomposing in your own world? What is ripe for regeneration and rejuvenation? What fun action can you do that resembles a resurrection?
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
The coming weeks will be an excellent time to take inventory of your community and your network of connections. Here are questions to ask yourself as you evaluate whether you already have exactly what you need or else may need to make adjustments. 1. Are you linked with an array of people who stimulate and support you? 2. Can you draw freely on influences that further your goals and help you feel at home in the world? 3. Do you bestow favors on those you would like to receive favors from? 4. Do you belong to groups or institutions that share your ideals and give you power you can’t access alone?
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
“Progress was all right. Only it went on too long.” Sagittarian humorist James Thurber said that—and now I’m conveying it to you. Why? Well, I am very happy about the progress you’ve been making recently—the blooming and expanding and learning you have been enjoying. But I’m guessing you would now benefit from a period of refining what you have gained. Rather than even more progress, I feel you need to consolidate and integrate the progress you have so robustly earned.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
The people of Northern Ireland have over 70 colorful slang terms for being drunk. These include splootered, stonkied, squiffy, cabbaged, stinkered, wingdinged, bluttered, and wanked. I am begging you, Capricorn, to refrain from those states for at least two weeks. According to my reading of the omens, it’s important for you to avoid the thrills and ills of alcohol. I am completely in favor of you pursuing natural highs, however. I would love you to get your mind blown and your heart opened through epiphanies and raptures that take you to the frontiers of consciousness.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
Beginning 11,000 years ago, humans began to breed the fig. It’s the world’s oldest cultivated food, preceding even wheat, barley, and legumes. Many scholars think that the fig, not the apple, was the forbidden fruit that God warned Adam and Eve not to munch in the famous Biblical passage. These days, though, figs rarely make the list of the fruits people love most. Their taste is regarded by some as weird, even cloying. But for our purposes, I will favorably quote the serpent in the Garden of Eden: “When you eat the fig, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God.” This is my elaborate way of telling you that now may be an excellent time to sample a forbidden fruit. Also: A serpent may have wise counsel for you.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
The coming weeks would be an excellent time to file lawsuits against everyone who has ever wronged you, hurt you, ignored you, misunderstood you, tried to change you into something you’re not, and failed to give you what you deserve. I recommend you sue each of them for $10 million. The astrological omens suggest you now have the power to finally get compensated for the stupidity and malice you have had to endure. JUST KIDDING! I lied. The truth is, now is a great time to feel intense gratitude for everyone who has supported you, encouraged you, and appreciated you for who you really are. I also suggest you communicate your thanks to as many of your personal helpers and heroes as you can.
ARIES (March 21-April 19):
In 2015, a large earthquake struck Nepal, registering 7.8 on the Richter scale. It was so powerful, it shrunk Mt. Everest. I mention this, Aries, because I suspect you will generate good fortune in the coming months whenever you try to shrink metaphorical mountains. Luckily, you won’t need to resort to anything as forceful and ferocious as a massive earthquake. In fact, I think your best efforts will be persistent, incremental, and gradual. If you haven’t gotten started yet, do so now.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
We don’t know the astrological sign of Egyptian Queen Cleopatra, who ruled from 51 to 30 BCE. But might she have been a Taurus? What other tribe of the zodiac would indulge in the extravagance of bathing in donkey milk? Her staff kept a herd of 700 donkeys for this regimen. Before you dismiss the habit as weird, please understand that it wasn’t uncommon in ancient times. Why? Modern science has shown that donkey milk has anti-aging, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory qualities. And as astrologers know, many of you Tauruses are drawn to luxurious and healing influences that also enhance beauty. I recommend you cultivate such influences with extra verve in the coming days.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
In two trillion galaxies stretched out across 93 billion light years, new stars are constantly being born. Their birth process happens in stellar nurseries, where dense clouds of gas coalesce into giant spheres of light and heat powered by the process of nuclear fusion. If you don’t mind me engaging in a bit of hyperbole, I believe that you Geminis are now immersed in a small-scale, metaphorical version of a stellar nursery. I have high hopes for the magnificence you will beget in the coming months.
CANCER (June 21-July 22):
The planet Mars usually stays in your sign for less than two months every two years. But the pattern will be different in the coming months. Mars will abide in Cancer from September 5 to November 4 and then again from January 27 till April 19 in 2025. The last time the red planet made such an extended visit was in 2007 and 2008, and before that in 1992 and 1993. So what does it mean? In the least desirable scenario, you will wander aimlessly, distracted by trivial battles and unable to decide which dreams to pursue. In the best scenario, you will be blessed with a sustained, fiery devotion to your best and most beautiful ambitions.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
Famous rock musicians have on occasion spiced up their live shows by destroying their instruments on stage. Kurt Cobain of the band Nirvana smashed many guitars. So did Jimi Hendrix, who even set his guitars on fire. I can admire the symbolic statement of not being overly attached to objects one loves. But I don’t recommend that approach to you in the coming weeks. On the contrary, I believe this is a time for you to express extra care for the tools, machines, and apparatus that give you so much. Polish them up, get repairs done, show them you love them. And if you need new gizmos and gear to enhance your self-expression, get them in the near future.
WANT MORE? Listen to Rob’s EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES, 4-5 minute meditations on the current state of your destiny — or subscribe to his unique daily text message service at: RealAstrology.com
Quote of the Day: “Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.” – Howard Zinn
Photo by: Philippe Leone
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Sonny Rollins at the Newport Jazz Festival in 2008
Happy 94th Birthday to Walter Sonny Rollins was born. Widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians, Rollins’ seven-decade career has seen 60 records released with him as band leader. A number of his compositions, including St. Thomas, Oleo, Doxy, and Airegin have become jazz standards. Rollins has been called “the greatest living improviser.” READ a bit about his life… (1930)
A reconstructed image of Pakudyptes at a New Zealand coast. PHOTO: Tatsuya Shinmura & Ashoro Museum of Paleontology
A reconstructed image of Pakudyptes on a New Zealand coast. PHOTO: Tatsuya Shinmura & Ashoro Museum of Paleontology
Sometimes, certain aspects of an animal’s biology can seem completely redundant, such as the tiny arms of a T. rex, or wings on a flightless bird.
But thanks to a recent study of fossilized penguin wings, researchers were able to pinpoint when these birds had turned their seemingly pointless wings into powerful diving aides.
A joint research team of New Zealand and Japanese scientists analyzed three bones found by a late paleontologist in the Hakataramea Valley on New Zealand’s south island.
Named Pakudyptes hakataramea, the fossils belonged to a diminutive penguin about the same size as the modern little blue penguin, the smallest in the world. Living 24 million years ago, Pakudyptes already had adaptions in its bone structure meant for diving.
Researchers from the University of Otago in New Zealand, the Okayama and Osaka universities in Japan, along with the Ashoro Museum of Paleontology, examined three bones: a humerus, femur, and ulna.
Pakudyptes fills a morphological gap between modern and fossil penguins, says the lead author on the study, Dr. Tatsuro Ando at the Ashoro Museum. The humerus and ulna in particular highlight how penguins’ wings have evolved.
“In particular, the shape of the wing bones differed greatly, and the process by which penguin wings came to have their present form and function remained unclear,” Dr. Ando said.
“Surprisingly, while the shoulder joints of the wing of Pakudyptes were very close to the condition of the present-day penguin, the elbow joints were very similar to those of older types of fossil penguins.”
“Pakudyptes is the first fossil penguin ever found with this combination, and it is the ‘key’ fossil to unlocking the evolution of penguin wings,” he concluded in a statement from Otago University NZ.
Co-author Dr. Carolina Loch, from Otago’s Faculty of Dentistry, says analysis of the internal bone structure conducted at the Faculty of Dentistry, with a comparison of data on living penguins provided from the Okayama University of Science, shows these penguins had microanatomical features suggestive of diving.
Modern penguins have excellent swimming abilities, largely due to their dense, thick bones that contribute to buoyancy during diving.
In Pakudyptes, the bone cortex was reasonably thick although the medullary cavity, which contains bone marrow, was open, similar to what we see in the modern little blue penguin, which tends to swim in shallow waters.
The ability for Pakudyptes to dive and swim comes down to the distinctive combination of its bones. Bones such as the humerus (upper arm) and ulna (forearm) show areas for attachment of muscles and ligaments which reveal how the wings were being used to swim and maneuver underwater.
“Penguins evolved rapidly from the Late Oligocene to Early Miocene and Pakudyptes is an important fossil from this period. Its small size and unique combination of bones may have contributed to the ecological diversity of modern penguins,” Dr. Loch said.
The open medullary and small stature of the penguin bear witness to how quick this diversification was, as almost all fossilized penguin ancestors were large—over 3 feet at least, and some standing as tall as 6 feet.
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Terry and his family, with son Michael pictured in the blue down coat - credit, Terry Pirovolakis, supplied to the media.
Terry and his family, with son Michael pictured in the blue down coat – credit, Terry Pirovolakis, supplied to the media.
From Fox News Digital comes the incredible story of a Canadian family that stopped at nothing to find a cure for their newborn son’s rare disease.
Putting their life savings on a wing and a prayer, the determination to see their boy grow up turned to compassion after they decided that the medicine they helped create should save more lives than just their son.
Terry and Georgia Pirovolakis live in Toronto, and it was back in 2017 that they welcomed their third son, Michael, into the world. He was declared a healthy baby boy, and the couple went home to introduce him to his older brother and sister.
But as the parents began counting the missed developmental milestones, they were worried something was seriously wrong—and they were right.
After what Terry described as an “18-month diagnostic odyssey,” Michael Pirovolakis was diagnosed by a neurologist with spastic paraplegia 50 (SPG50). This neurological disorder affects fewer than 100 known people in the world.
The doctors told the parents to take Michael home and love him with all their strength because he’d probably be in a wheelchair at 10, a quadriplegic at 20, and dead shortly after that.
“Children with SPG50 may experience early developmental delays, muscle weakness, and spasticity, but they continue to strive and adapt,” Dr. Eve Elizabeth Penney, an epidemiologist at the Texas Department of State Health Services, told Fox News Digital. “Managing SPG50 requires a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to address its various symptoms and challenges.”
There is neither cure nor effective treatment available through the FDA for SPG50, but Terry was just not interested in hearing any of it. A month after Michael’s diagnosis, the dedicated father flew to Washington D.C. for a conference on gene therapy. He also visited the National Institutes of Health at the University of Cambridge in the UK where he heard scientists had been studying the disease.
“We then liquidated our life savings, refinanced our home, and paid a team at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center to create a proof of concept to start Michael’s gene therapy,” Pirovolakis said.
Encouragingly, whatever Terry picked up along his journey worked, and the disease’s progression was halted in mice and human cells in vitro. With that data in hand, the father’s journey, which had already gone from Canada to the US, to the UK, and back to the US, extended onward to Spain, where a small pharmaceutical company made 4 doses of the gene therapy drug.
Terry Pirovolakis, second from left, is pictured with members of his team at his nonprofit, Elpida Therapeutics – credit, Terry Pirovolakis, supplied to the media.
From seeker to savior
Back in Canada, the Pirovolakis received approval from Health Canada to move ahead with Michael’s gene therapy, which would involve a lumbar puncture and injection of cerebral spinal fluid.
In March 2022, Michael, then 5 years old, became the first human with SPG50 ever to undergo gene therapy.
Just try and imagine the mood in the Pirovolakis household as the days went by and Michael’s capabilities for movement, coordination, and speech began improving. His doctors were uniform in their opinion: the treatment was a success.
Three doses remained, which might have been reserved for when and if the disease returned, but the family decided that, because they had learned about the cases of other children, the other doses should go to them.
“When I heard that no one was going to do anything about it, I had to—I couldn’t let them die,” Terry told Fox News Digital, referring to the fact that no pharma company were currently developing drugs or treatments for SPG50, and without the doses Terry had spent his life savings to acquire, they were without hope of a future.
That year he helped set up a phase 2 trial that treated three children, one with each dose, all of whom are improving. One of those was 6-month-old Jack Lockard, whose mother told Fox that he is currently “thriving.”
Terry has done well in life—he’s an IT manager at a successful company, and so was able to stomach the stomach-churning cost of developng the drug himself—to the tune of $1 million per dose.
He has approached several pharmaceutical companies with the trial results to see if any are interested in taking up the project, but none, so far, have done so. The costs are so high, and with only 100 people worldwide known to have SPG50, the market share is beyond minuscule.
Terry realized the need was dire—not just for financing cures for SPG50, but other rare diseases that pharma companies don’t touch. He quit his job in IT to found Elpida (Hope in Greek) Therapeutics. His team consists of 5 employees and 20 consultants with a phase 3 trial for SPG50 now set to take place at the NIH in November.
They managed to get 8 doses of the drug made in Spain and flown to the US, but by then they ran out of money.
Pirovolakis’ two older children, pictured with their little brother, Michael, bottom left – credit, Terry Pirovolakis, supplied to the media.
“The treatment is here, just literally sitting in a refrigerator, ready to go,” Rebekah Lockard, Jack’s mother, whose daughter Naomi also has SPG50 and is a candidate in the prospective trial, wrote recently. “Doctors are ready. There just isn’t enough money to make it happen.”
The Lockards have a GoFundMe established to raise money for their stake in the trial, hoping to get Naomi one of the 8 doses having seen how effective it was for Jack. It has raised $137,000 at publishing time, just 13% of the total.
Terry says he hopes that a philanthropist will come along and fund the trial considering how successful the treatment has been so far.
Terry Pirovolakis has already moved mountains to get as far as he has. For the sake of children like Naomi, one can only hope he has strength to move still more.
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Locals arrived to move the statue after couriers weren't able to: Credit, the Sebbie Hall Kindness Foundation.
Locals arrived to move the statue after couriers weren’t able to: Credit, the Sebbie Hall Kindness Foundation.
Dozens of volunteers and an entrepreneur have teamed up to save the statue of the UK’s Kindest Man from being melted down to save space.
In 2023, GNN reported on the UK’s kindest man receiving a bronze statue of himself in honor of his work performing a good deed every day for 3 years during all the stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Believing that kindness was “his superpower,” Sebbie Hall from Lichfield was emblazoned striking a Superman pose with a colorful cape, and stood alongside other statues of national icons like Captain Cook and Winston Churchill near Tower Bridge in London.
Sebbie Hall continued his daily kind acts after the UK became one of the earliest countries in Europe to abandon its COVID protocols, working through the Sebbie Hall Kindness Foundation, run by his mother Ashley since Sebbie has a rare chromosomal condition that left him with physical and speech difficulties.
After the exhibition period of the statute finished in London, it was moved to a temporary home at The Hub, an art center in Hall’s hometown of Lichfield. Before a future home could be identified, however, the center lost the luxury of allowing it to stay in storage, and the statue risked being melted down and recycled.
Oliver Chapman, founder of supply chain procurement company OCI Group and friend of the Sebbie charity, stepped in to help, offering to pay for a storage space while finding a permanent indoor home for the piece.
The UK’s Kind Hero, Sebbie Hall – SWNS
When the couriers arrived to remove the statue from The Hub, they found it was impossible to move the over 240-pound honor.
“The courier guys just couldn’t get the statue out, and it looked like they would have to go without it, leaving it with an uncertain fate, particularly as the statue needs to be situated indoors,” Ashley told the Metro. “But suddenly, I saw people from the market piling over, offering to help move it, which was incredible.”
The Metro reports that the local marketplace which was running that morning got wind of what was happening in town, and over a dozen of them arrived to help move the statue.
“Sebbie’s statue was finally able to leave the building! It was an incredible act of kindness from the people of Lichfield, which is what the Sebbie Hall Kindness Foundation is all about,” Ashley said.
“Sebbie was overjoyed and I am so grateful to the people of Lichfield and Oliver Chapman for arranging it to be moved in the nick of time.”
Chapman has been in contact with a variety of companies that manage office units, and another that manages a train station, to see who in Lichfield will have the honor to host the statue of the beloved local hero.
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Today, when people mention mental health and Facebook in the same sentence, it almost never bears a positive connotation.
But at least for one young woman in Lucknow, India, there’s a very good reason to make such a connection, as an AI working for Meta alerted local police that she was about to commit suicide.
The 23-year-old was distraught over what Indian media claims was an abandonment by her husband, and uploaded a video Sunday night on Facebook akin to a suicide letter. A noose hung ominously in the background, fastened around her neck as she spoke.
While the video was going viral, the Social Media Center of the office of the Directorate General of Lucknow Police received an automated alert from Meta AI that included the rough location of her phone.
A female police officer closest to the woman’s village was alerted, and she arrived before the deed was done. The officer spoke to the woman who eventually removed the noose. Declining to take her into protective custody, the Print reports that the police remain in constant contact.
The victim was engaged in a love affair with a young man from another village. The two eloped but declined to form a legal union. He eventually ended their pseudo-marriage, leaving her in despair. The man has been arrested and is undergoing questioning.
Using artificial intelligence to scan social media for suicidal intent is done by more than just Meta—there are whole companies developing AIs for this purpose. One, Sentinet, says that its algorithms flag 400 posts on social media every day that display an actionable level of suicidal intent.
Meta leverages this in their AI division to keep track of these posts, which when identified can lead to several actions—one of which is the direct message.
“We stumbled upon your post…and it looks like you are going through some challenging times,” one such message begins from Samurai Labs, another AI firm trying to combat suicide through social media observation.
“We are here to share with you materials and resources that might bring you some comfort.” A list of resources and stories of people overcoming suicidal thoughts follow, with the message concluding with a virtual hug.
According to Time Magazine, a human supervisor looks at posts flagged by Samurai Labs’ AI and decides whether the user should be messaged with instructions about how to get help. About 10% of people who received these messages contacted a suicide helpline, and the company’s representatives worked with first responders to complete four in-person rescues like the one in Lucknow.
We often see discussions about AI’s disruptive power in society, up to and including how it might affect human social interaction. The story is a nice reminder that in many cases AI is simply a tool, and it can be used for good just as well as for any other purpose.
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