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12.15.25
People Are Already Taking This Unapproved New Weight-Loss Drug
BY JOHN SEMLEY | 8-MINUTE READ
Retatrutide, originally developed by Eli Lilly, has found a loyal fan base—even though clinical trials of the drug still haven’t finished.
How the Next Big Thing in Carbon Removal Sank Without a Trace
BY ALEXANDRA TALTY | 20-MINUTE READ
With support from Microsoft, Stripe, and Shopify, Running Tide billed itself as on the cutting edge of carbon removal. In the end, it resorted to dumping thousands of tons of wood chips in the sea.
For the First Time, AI Analyzes Language as Well as a Human Expert
BY STEVE NADIS | 6-MINUTE READ
If language is what makes us human, what does it mean now that large language models have gained “metalinguistic” abilities?
RFK Jr.’s Health Department Is Pondering a National Men’s Health Initiative
BY EMILY MULLIN | 2-MINUTE READ
At an FDA discussion of testosterone replacement therapy, a top official called for special health centers to address a “men’s health crisis.” Others called to ease men’s access to hormones.
Scientists Thought Parkinson’s Was in Our Genes. It Might Be in the Water
BY DAVID FERRY | 14-MINUTE READ
Parkinson’s disease has environmental toxic factors, not just genetic.
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Google Data Centers Are Returning Nuclear Power to Tornado Country
BY ANIKA JANE BEAMER | 4-MINUTE READ
A destructive storm in 2020 prematurely shut down Iowa’s only nuclear plant. With Google’s plans to reopen it to power nearby data centers, will extreme weather threaten the reactor’s safety?
How Do Astronomers Find Planets in Other Solar Systems?
BY RHETT ALLAIN | 6-MINUTE READ
Even the best telescopes can’t see exoplanets. It’s all about watching for jiggly stars, blue shifts, and transits.
Radiation-Detection Systems Are Quietly Running in the Background All Around You
BY CHRIS BARANIUK | 6-MINUTE READ
If a major disaster like Fukushima or Chernobyl ever happens again, the world would know almost straight away, thanks to an array of government and DIY radiation-monitoring programs running globally.
You’re Thinking About AI and Water All Wrong
BY MOLLY TAFT | 8-MINUTE READ
Fears about AI data centers’ water use have exploded. Experts say the reality is far more complicated than people think.
The DHS Data Grab Is Putting US Citizens at Risk
BY VITTORIA ELLIOTT | 5-MINUTE READ
As the US government rapidly merges data from across agencies in service of draconian immigration policies, citizens increasingly risk being caught up as well.
