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RFK Jr.’s quiet hunt for autism culprits stalls as Trump orders baseless changes to childhood shots

President Trump has ordered a reduction in childhood vaccines — publicly faulting the shots for an increase in autism cases — even as the nation’s top health official, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has failed to produce evidence linking vaccinations to the disorder. While the executive order released Aug. 10 does not directly mention autism, Mr….

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The iNaturalist app – Mixing science with fun

The iNaturalist cellphone app not only helps users identify plant, animal and insect species; it also provides invaluable data to scientists studying biodiversity, species decline, and habitat loss. It also provides opportunities for fun: David Pogue joins iNaturalist fan Martha Stewart in a “bioblitz” – a timed competition with other users to spot and ID…

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A conductor gained 40 pounds in a matter of weeks. It took open-heart surgery to learn why

Conductor John Mauceri is no stranger to health struggles. He was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis in 2017, then chronic lymphocytic leukemia and interstitial lung disease in 2019. Medication treated the conditions and sent the cancer into remission, but he has remained on the lookout for recurrence.  In December 2023, Mauceri, then 78, contracted COVID-19. He…

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ICE plans to give officers gloves that can deliver electric shocks

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers may soon be outfitted with gloves that can deliver painful electric shocks intended to gain compliance from combative individuals. ICE plans to spend between $10 million and $20 million to purchase “conductive distraction and de-escalation devices” for officers and agents by March, according to a notice published Monday by…

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