TRUMP COMMISSION REPORT BLAMES FOOD, VACCINES, AND TOXINS
President Trump on Thursday will release a high-level report from the Make America Healthy Again Commission, led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., identifying ultra-processed foods, vaccination, and environmental toxins as key drivers of chronic childhood disease. It will diagnose a national health crisis—citing rising autism, ADHD, and an 88 percent increase in cancer since 1990—but offer no policy prescriptions, instead providing a blueprint for investigation. Established in February by executive order, the commission will examine nutrition, lifestyle, medication reliance, new technologies, environmental impacts, and chemical harms. Notably, smoking and alcohol, CDC-identified chronic disease causes, are omitted. Recent administration actions—ending school produce programs, defunding diet research, and NIH studies on processed foods—contradict its goals. The report, led by adviser Calley Means and composed of federal health heads, has drawn early criticism over its anticipated scrutiny of glyphosate, prompting assurances it will not jeopardize farming interests. Some senators expressed concern. (New York Times)
CHINA RISES AS WHO LEADER AMID US WITHDRAWAL
China is emerging as a major donor to the World Health Organization (WHO) after the US abruptly withdrew under the Trump administration, creating a significant funding and leadership gap. At the World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong announced an additional $500 million contribution over five years. China also sent its largest-ever delegation of 180 members, while the US was absent. Liu emphasized global solidarity against unilateralism and power politics affecting health security. Despite the US cutting ties and owing $260 million in dues, US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appeared via video criticizing WHO as bureaucratic and biased, aligning with his anti-vaccine views and calling for a radical overhaul and urging other countries to abandon WHO. In contrast, the WHA unanimously adopted the world’s first pandemic treaty to enhance collective preparedness for future pandemics, hailed by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as a landmark for global health cooperation and security. (Ars Technica)
PERFUMES LOTIONS ALTER INDOOR AIR CHEMISTRY SIGNIFICANTLY
Perfumes and lotions do more than scent our skin—they chemically alter the air we breathe by weakening the “human oxidation field,” a phenomenon involving reactive molecules called hydroxyl radicals. These radicals, produced when skin oils react with ozone, help break down gases in indoor air. Researchers led by Manabu Shiraiwa tested how applying perfume or unscented lotion affects this field by exposing volunteers to low ozone levels in a controlled chamber. They found that wearing these personal care products significantly reduced hydroxyl radical concentrations—perfume by as much as 86%. The implications remain unclear: fewer radicals might mean fewer toxic substances form, or it could mean less breakdown of harmful gases, potentially increasing vulnerability. Experts call for more research to explore effects of other products like soaps, the duration of these changes, and the overall impact on indoor air quality. Given that people spend most of their time indoors, understanding how our bodies and products influence indoor air chemistry is increasingly important. (Science)
NSF GRANT AWARDS DROP TO LOWEST IN DECADES
The National Science Foundation (NSF), a key funder of fundamental U.S. scientific research, is awarding new grants at its slowest pace in at least 35 years, affecting nearly all science fields. Funding cuts extend beyond targeted diversity programs, impacting early-stage research vital to future innovation in computer science, engineering, physics, chemistry, climate science, and materials. These reductions also threaten support for students, postdocs, and early-career scientists, jeopardizing the nation’s future scientific workforce and economic competitiveness. The Trump administration has canceled over 1,600 active grants—worth \$1.5 billion—and proposed slashing nearly \$5 billion from NSF’s \$9 billion budget, targeting climate, clean energy, social sciences, and diversity programs. New grant awards have plummeted, with some disciplines like physics and math seeing drops over 70%. The agency faces internal chaos due to restructuring, layoffs, and political interference, disrupting its rigorous review processes. Critics warn these cuts risk long-term harm to U.S. innovation, slowing economic growth and ceding ground to global competitors like China. (New York Times)
CHINESE SPEAKERS TURN TO AI FOR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
Ann Li from Taiwan and Yang from China represent a growing number of Chinese-speaking individuals turning to AI chatbots for mental health support, often due to limited access to professional care and social stigma. These chatbots, including ChatGPT in Taiwan and domestic versions like Baidu’s Ernie Bot in China, offer discreet, immediate, and cost-effective help, appealing especially to younger generations facing rising mental health challenges. Users report that AI provides timely responses and a nonjudgmental space, though some feel it lacks the depth and self-discovery offered by human therapists. Experts acknowledge AI’s potential as an auxiliary tool for early support and mental health promotion but warn it cannot replace professional care, especially in crisis situations. Concerns include AI’s inability to interpret nonverbal cues, risks of delayed treatment, and lack of ethical oversight. While AI may modernize mental health services and aid in training, professionals stress cautious use and emphasize the irreplaceable value of human intervention in complex psychological care. (The Guardian)
NASA’S PERSEVERANCE ROVER SNAPS SELFIE WITH MARTIAN DUST DEVIL
NASA’s Perseverance rover recently captured a striking selfie on Mars featuring an unexpected visitor: a Martian dust devil. This small, pale, swirling dust column appeared about 3 miles (5 kilometers) behind the rover during the photo session. The selfie, released Wednesday, is a composite of 59 images taken by the camera on the rover’s robotic arm, which took an hour to complete. Megan Wu, an imaging scientist with Malin Space Science Systems, called the image “a classic” thanks to the dust devil’s presence. The photo also shows Perseverance’s latest sample borehole and marks 1,500 Martian sols (about 1,541 Earth days) since the rover’s landing. Covered in red dust from drilling numerous rocks, Perseverance, launched in 2020, continues collecting samples in Jezero Crater, an ancient lakebed and river delta that may reveal signs of past microbial life on Mars. (AP)
PERSEVERANCE ROVER EXPLORES ANCIENT HABITABLE MARTIAN REGION
NASA’s Perseverance rover has reached a new Martian region called Krokodillen, a rocky plateau named after a mountain ridge in Norway. Located on the boundary between Jezero Crater’s ancient rim and the surrounding plains, Krokodillen spans about 73 acres (30 hectares) and contains clay minerals formed in the presence of liquid water, suggesting the area may have been habitable long ago. These rocks date back to Mars’ earliest geologic period, the Noachian, making them some of the oldest on the planet. Perseverance’s earlier discovery at Cheyava Falls found potential biosignatures linked to ancient microbial life, though geological explanations remain possible. Since confirming life directly may be beyond Perseverance’s capabilities, the rover is collecting samples for future Earth analysis—though plans for sample return face uncertainty due to budget cuts. The mission team is adopting a new strategy of leaving some sample tubes unsealed to prioritize more promising specimens, as the rover nears capacity with 36 of its 43 tubes already filled. (space.com)
SPACE FORCE AND NGA SIGN AGREEMENT TO ENHANCE INTELLIGENCE
The U.S. Space Force and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) signed a memorandum of agreement on May 21 to clarify their respective roles in delivering space-based intelligence to military commanders. The agreement aims to improve collaboration on acquiring and providing commercial imagery and remote sensing data, reducing duplication and enhancing support to combatant commands. Gen. Chance Saltzman (Space Force) and NGA Director Vice Adm. Frank Whitworth emphasized that the partnership is crucial amid increasing demand for rapid intelligence, especially commercial satellite imagery. The agreement supports the Space Force’s TacSRT program, which uses commercial data analytics to provide fast, mission-ready products without duplicating traditional intelligence community efforts. While overlaps exist, both agencies stress synergy over redundancy. The memorandum reflects a commitment to move beyond organizational silos and focus on delivering quality intelligence efficiently. TacSRT products are designed for rapid situational awareness and planning, not for detailed targeting, complementing rather than replacing established geospatial intelligence capabilities. (Space News)
Thanks for reading. Let’s be careful out there.
WORDS: The Biology Guy.