Motor neuron disease that attacks nerve cells controlling voluntary muscles
A new global analysis finds that ever having worked around pesticides raises the risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) by about 61%–71%, with herbicides driving a stronger link. The study pools data from eight past investigations and notes higher risk in men. Experts caution that causality remains unproven and exposure measurement varies.
Jacob Daniel Whisenant, a Mammoth Lakes climber known for speed ascents, has died in an August 3 accident in the Sierra Nevada, Tulare County. The coroner has ruled blunt force trauma as the cause and the death an accident. He gained fame for a rapid El Capitan ascent in 2024 and leaves behind friends and family who describe his devotion to climbing.
Jai Arrow has been granted a one-off dispensation to return to the South Sydney Rabbitohs for two final regular-season games after his May MND diagnosis, bringing his NRL career total to 180 and Rabbitohs count to 100.
Investors have pushed new biotech winners — from Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide pill to startups tackling baldness and targeted autoimmune drugs — while market enthusiasm has cooled for some forecasts. Novo Nordisk has released a daily weight‑loss pill used by over 1.5 million people; hair‑loss startups have sent small caps soaring; India’s low‑cost GLP‑1 generics have underperformed expectations.
Two mayors confront a contentious 9/11 anniversary as Giuliani’s public opposition to Mamdani’s attendance collides with the mayor’s decision to attend. Family members of victims urge caution as a petition effort highlights the political tensions around Ground Zero ceremonies.
Stanford researchers have transplanted human brain organoids into mice with cortex-depleted brains, creating a model that links human tissue with mouse neural circuits. The work, reported in Nature, shows human cells wiring into mouse brain tissue and drawing attention to ethical oversight and limitations in translating to human disease.
Dame Esther Rantzen has died at 86 after a long illness, her family has announced. The broadcaster fronted That’s Life! for 21 years, founded Childline in 1986 and the Silver Line in 2012, and later campaigned publicly for legal change on assisted dying after a stage-four lung cancer diagnosis in 2023.
Walmart has expanded benefits for associates, adding 12 weeks of neonatal ICU leave and enabling second opinions for rare conditions. It also joins Novo and Lilly drug coverage for Type 2 diabetics at no cost, while premium increases are minimized. The moves come ahead of open enrollment and build on years of compensation improvements.