Health
During a televised interview, Medicare administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz struggled to explain President Trump's claim of cutting drug prices by 1,500 percent, a figure that mathematically implies negative costs. The exchange highlighted ongoing concerns about the administration's health policy communications and the credibility of its officials.
Health
A Vancouver cardiologist's minimally invasive aortic valve replacement, performed without general anesthesia, has enabled 411 patients to leave the hospital within a day. The 3M procedure, presented at a major cardiology conference, could reshape heart surgery recovery.
Space
A New York Times report reveals that in 2012, Google DeepMind cofounder Demis Hassabis pointed out a critical flaw in Elon Musk's Mars colonization plan: AI could follow humans to the Red Planet. Musk, reportedly speechless, later invested in DeepMind but eventually called the company his top AI concern.
Health
A tattoo artist uses an NFC chip implanted in his hand to unlock his studio, part of a growing trend of 10,000 people worldwide. The chip's 880-byte memory stores simple data, but users report a shift in daily habits, forgetting keys and badges. Experts weigh in on the practical and social implications of body-integrated access.
Health
China's state-run Global Times has cautioned Elon Musk against endorsing the lab leak theory of COVID-19's origins, warning that such views could harm Tesla's business in China. The warning follows Musk's tweets supporting a US Energy Department assessment, which has intensified diplomatic tensions.
Health
Bryan Johnson, a 45-year-old tech entrepreneur, spends $2 million annually on a rigorous anti-aging regimen aiming to restore his body to an 18-year-old state. With over 30 health professionals and extreme treatments, he claims to have reversed his epigenetic age by 5.1 years in seven months, documenting everything publicly in his Blueprint project.
Health
A case report in BMJ Case Reports describes an 80-year-old woman with lung cancer whose tumor shrank by 76% after she declined conventional treatment and instead used CBD oil. The authors caution that the link is not proven and call for more research.
Health
A California ophthalmologist removed 23 contact lenses from a senior patient's eye, a case that went viral and sparked global awareness about proper lens hygiene. The patient, who had not seen a doctor in two years, is recovering but has resumed wearing contacts against medical advice.
Space
A small asteroid, 2024 PT5, has completed its temporary gravitational interaction with Earth, ending a two-month sojourn. The 33-foot object, possibly a chip off the Moon, will return for a brief visit in January before a 30-year hiatus.
Space
A UK-led experiment, RemoveDEBRIS, is aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule heading to the International Space Station to test net-based and harpoon-based methods for capturing orbital debris. The mission aims to prove that cleaning up space junk can be done affordably, addressing a growing threat to satellites.
Space
A water leak forced NASA to cut short a spacewalk, highlighting the aging shuttle-era suits. Adding to the concern, contractor Collins Aerospace has abandoned its work on a replacement, leaving Axiom and SpaceX as potential alternatives.
Space
A new animation depicting two SpaceX Starships meeting in orbit for propellant transfer has drawn approval from Elon Musk. The visual comes as SpaceX prepares for a NASA-funded demonstration of orbital refueling, a key step for deep-space missions.
Space
NASA has selected five U.S. companies, including Blue Origin, for contracts supporting the Artemis Moon program. Blue Origin will receive $25.6 million for studies and risk reduction, despite its ongoing lawsuit against the agency over the human landing system award. The funding is part of a broader effort to mature lunar lander concepts.
