EXPOSURE

May 19 2026HEALTH

How everyday chemicals might be affecting teens' health

Scientists are taking a closer look at two types of chemicals we encounter daily and how they could be influencing teenagers' bodies in unexpected ways. PFAS and phthalates are found in everything from non-stick pans to plastic toys and personal care products. These substances are so common that nea

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May 14 2026ENVIRONMENT

When tiny tire bits meet fish: how road wear turns plastic into a pollution booster

Every time a car rolls over a wet street, tiny bits of rubber fly off the tires. These microplastics don’t just float away. They change shape, break into smaller pieces, and latch onto other chemicals already stuck to them. Scientists wanted to see what happens when these tire bits get ground down e

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May 12 2026HEALTH

Tracking a rare virus: How one flight and a cruise ship sparked a health alert

A Sacramento County resident is now under health watch after possibly picking up the Andes hantavirus on a flight linked to a cruise ship outbreak. The virus, which can pass between people, has already caused three deaths on the MV Hondius, a Dutch cruise ship. Officials say the infected passenger o

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May 04 2026HEALTH

Sunlight and Stomach Health: A Bright Idea for Lower Cancer Risk

Daytime sunshine plays a key role in keeping our bodies’ internal clocks ticking smoothly. When we don’t get enough natural light, these rhythms can become out of sync, and that may raise the chance of serious illnesses like cancer. A large study followed almost 90, 000 adults for nearly nine years,

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May 02 2026HEALTH

Cold Showers and Testosterone: What the Science Actually Says

A small study looked at whether taking cold showers for four days could boost testosterone in male athletes. The idea isn’t crazy—cold exposure is often said to help with recovery and performance. But here’s the catch: the research found no real change in testosterone levels after the cold showers.

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Apr 25 2026HEALTH

Hidden Chemicals: What’s Really in Our Blood?

Most people don’t know it, but tiny amounts of PFAS—man-made chemicals in everything from nonstick pans to firefighting foams—are likely floating around in their blood. Tests on over 10, 000 American blood samples found these substances almost everywhere. Out of nearly 10, 600 people, only 19 had ju

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Apr 15 2026CRIME

Former Teacher Faces New Charges After Arrest

A 29‑year‑old former social studies teacher in South Carolina was taken into custody on February 10th. The arrest stemmed from allegations of sexual misconduct involving a minor, including claims that he promoted the child’s prostitution and conspired with others. Shortly after his detainment, st

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Apr 15 2026CRIME

Teacher in South Carolina faces extra charges after leaving classroom

A former social studies teacher from Columbia, South Carolina, now faces more serious legal trouble after leaving his job suddenly. The 29-year-old man, who previously worked at Lower Richland High School, was arrested in February on multiple charges related to minors. These include serious allegati

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Apr 13 2026OPINION

How Close-To-Home Violence Shapes Our View of Crime

Fear doesn’t always come from faraway places. For a young kid, it can creep in through familiar faces - the uncles who looked like killers, the scout leaders who didn’t seem dangerous until they were. The first time crime felt intimate was when news reached a 7-year-old about a monster hiding in pla

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Apr 08 2026TECHNOLOGY

Games as gateways to new music: Kojima’s quiet revolution

Hideo Kojima doesn’t just build video games—he builds bridges to culture. For years, he’s quietly slipped music, films, and art into his games, giving players a nudge toward sounds and stories they might never seek out alone. Death Stranding didn’t just drop players into a post-apocalyptic world; it

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