Another week slips into the history books (a book that few will read) and the Old Professor is here to impart some missed news….sit back and enjoy.
Locally–I am old so I will start with the weather….temps pushing 100+ humidity at about 90% and as usual little rain….as of the writing of this post it is 1 am and 85 outside….god I hate Summer.
Personal–doctors visits accomplished little but all of them are trying to get me into one of them if successful that could cut down on the number of visits by 2 maybe 3 doctors.
Let’s move on to the truly important stuff.
The Mummy’s Curse…..could it be beneficial?
Nearly a century ago, rumors of a deadly curse swirled around the team that unearthed King Tutankhamun’s resting place. One by one, archaeologists who entered the tomb fell ill or died under mysterious circumstances. Decades later, a similar fate met a group of Polish researchers excavating the crypt of King Casimir IV. Ten out of twelve scientists perished soon after exposure.
At the time, some cooler heads speculated that toxic mold may have been to blame. Eventually, this was confirmed. Now, scientists have gone back to that same fungus, Aspergillus flavus, not to fear it, but to harness its power.
A new study published in Nature Chemical Biology reveals that this deadly fungus could be the source of a potent cancer treatment. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and collaborators around the world have turned one of the most toxic molds known to science into a promising anti-leukemia compound.
“This is nature’s irony at its finest,” said Sherry Gao, senior author of the study and a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at UPenn. “The same fungus once feared for bringing death may now help save lives.”
https://www.zmescience.com/medicine/the-fungus-behind-the-pharaohs-curse-might-help-cure-leukemia/
Speaking curses….and the treatment of cancers….
One of the world’s most common viruses appears to significantly raise the risk of cancer, according to a new study from the World Health Organization’s (WHO) cancer research agency.
Most people around the world have been infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) at some point in their lives. It spreads easily through saliva and other bodily fluids and does not usually cause symptoms, but it can lead to mononucleosis, also known as “mono” or “the kissing disease”.
Scientists already knew that EBV, which stays in the body forever, can cause certain cancers, such as lymphomas and a rare form of throat cancer. But until now, there has been little data on the broader health risks.
The new study, which was published in the journal Nature Communications, found that the virus puts people at higher risk for additional cancers, years before they are diagnosed.
Research on anti-aging…..
A compound found in psychedelic mushrooms may have antiaging properties. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have found that psilocybin, the active compound in psychedelic mushrooms, may extend both cellular and organismal lifespans.
The findings, published in the journal npj Aging, show that psilocybin reduced multiple hallmarks of aging in cells while also improving survival in aged mice.
“There have been a number of clinical studies that have explored the therapeutic potential of psilocybin in psychiatric conditions such as depression and anxiety; however, few studies have evaluated its impacts outside the brain,” said Dr. Louise Hecker, associate professor of medicine—cardiovascular research at Baylor and senior author of the study.
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-psychedelic-mushrooms-clock-psilocybin-telomere.html
People who try the magic ‘shroom are using AI as a tripsitter….
Artificial intelligence, which is already trippy enough, has taken on a startling new role for some users: that of a psychedelic “trip-sitter” that guides them through their hallucinogenic journeys.
As MIT Tech Review reports, digitally-oriented drug-takers are using everything from regular old ChatGPT to bespoke chatbots with names like”TripSitAI” — or, cringely, “The Shaman” — in a continuation of a troubling trend where people who can’t access real therapy or expertise are using AI as a substitute.
Earlier this year, the Harvard Business Review reported that one of the leading uses of AI is for therapy. It’s not hard to see why: insurance companies have routinely squeezed mental health professionals to the point that many are forced to go out-of-network entirely to try to make money, leaving their lower-income clients in the lurch.
https://futurism.com/ai-therapy-psychedelic-trip-sitter
Yet another way for things to go wrong IMO……
Let’s go to the environment….
The US military is a major polluter….
When it comes to climate change impact, few institutions have cast a longer and heavier shadow than the United States military. Its footprint extends far beyond geopolitical frontiers, reaching into the very atmosphere that sustains us. Now, a new study reveals just how consequential this influence is and how small shifts in policy could have planetary effects.
The study examines nearly five decades of data to uncover a striking asymmetry: reducing U.S. military spending slashes energy consumption and carbon emissions more effectively than increasing it drives them up. The authors say that even modest, sustained cuts could lead to annual energy savings equivalent to the consumption of entire countries.
Most people know that plastics are overrunning the planet and scientific minds come up with alternatives but one it makes the news the story disappears…..why?
A new process that could replace plastic….
Amid mounting plastic waste, a US engineer has developed a single-step method to grow strong, biodegradable sheets using bacteria.
Maksud Rahman, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University of Houston, led the effort to convert bacterial cellulose into a high-performance material that could replace plastic in everyday use.
The innovation lies not just in the material, but in how it’s made. By controlling bacterial motion inside a spinning incubator, the team guided the production of aligned cellulose nanofibers.
https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/eco-sheets-from-bacteria-plastic-breakthrough
My guess this one will disappear as well…..who or what is stifling the production to this processes that could help eliminate the plastic waste?
Finally one of the most disturbing stories I think I have ever read….a mother, her child and a dog….
Angelina Williams, 28, will serve at least 19 years in prison according to a copy of the judgment filed in her case and obtained by PEOPLE.
Ashland County Common Pleas Court Judge Dave Stimpert reprimanded the mother while handing down the sentence, saying she allowed her son to be treated like a “chew toy” for the animal.
This comes after Williams put handcuffs around her son’s wrists and ankles while punishing him for refusing to pick up dog waste in the yard with his bare hands, according to a copy of the mother’s indictment.
She was then in the process of tying her son to a chair with rope, according to the indictment, when he fell to the ground — and the pit bull owned by the homeowner savagely attacked the boy.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/mother-handcuffed-her-sons-hands-201237618.html
19 years? If it was up to me she would be tied in a tiger’s enclosure and raw beef around her neck…..what kind of mother does this?
After that I need to take a shower….until next week my friends….
Try to enjoy your Summer weekend and as always…..Be Well and Be Safe….
I Read, I Write, You Know
“lego ergo scribo”
The mother/dog story just goes to prove that some people should never be allowed to have children.
I agree that the plastics industry will silence any innovation that replaces it.
Having an AI drug-buddy while you trip on mushrooms is another reason to not further develop AI.
I didn’t know about the kissing disease virus, that’s scary!
The best bit is the Tutankhamun tomb mold. That sounds like it has great potential.
I hope that you get to make less doctor visits soon.
Best wishes, Pete.
I like the curse story the best….and the mother I cannot see anyway to let someone like her continue to breathe….chuq