Friday, November 6, 2026

Scientists map a blood protein fingerprint of menopause tied to brain health

A multi-cohort study indicates that the transition through menopause is accompanied by distinct shifts in blood proteins tied to inflammation, nerve cell connections, and brain aging. These molecular changes track more closely with reproductive hormone levels than with chronological age, and older women whose blood shows more of this protein pattern tend to experience faster cognitive decline and a modestly higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The findings suggest that blood-based markers could help identify biological pathways linking reproductive aging to long-term brain health. Menopause is a midlife transition for people with ovaries, occurring at an average age of 51, when ovarian reproductive function ends and menstrual cycles cease. It involves a steep drop in ovarian hormones like 17-beta-estradiol (the primary reproductive estrogen) and progesterone, alongside a sustained rise in follicle-stimulating hormone, a pituitary gland messenger. Although dementia symptoms typically emerge in the mid-70s, Alzheimer’s brain pathology begins decades earlier, coinciding with midlife. Many menopause symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, sleep problems. Scientists have increasingly examined whether these hormonal and immune shifts leave the brain vulnerable to neurodegeneration. (PsyPost)

 

ChatGPT can now turn your images into GIFs with its latest update

Static images are no longer the only thing you can make with ChatGPT. OpenAI’s new Images 2.6 update adds GIF support to ChatGPT, Codex, and the API, letting you turn your creations into short animations. OpenAI says people generate around 4 billion images a week across these platforms, or more than half a billion every day. With that many images being made, adding motion feels like the obvious next step. For me, GIF support is the standout feature of this update. Marketers can animate a brand mascot for a campaign, online sellers can make product photos play on repeat, and social media users can create their own reaction GIFs and memes. Animators can also plan character movement with animated storyboards before shooting any video. You don’t need a finished design to start. A basic doodle is enough for ChatGPT to turn into an animated character for videos or games. OpenAI says the new model generates images 50% faster than its predecessor. It also keeps characters, products, and brand elements looking the same across multiple edits. If you have ever watched an AI tool change your character’s face after a small tweak, you know why this matters. (Digital Trends)

 

Hackers target French blood banks in latest freezer attack — as UK cybersecurity chief warns of ‘sliding doors’ moment for ‘unprecedented’ threat

A few days ago, hackers attacked European supermarket freezers for the second time in weeks, but it’s not just frozen food that has been the target of these malicious operations. Now, threat actors have their eyes on the medical sector, with reports emerging that French blood plasma reserves have been breached by unknown saboteurs. Stores of blood plasma were struck overnight between November 1 and November 2, with freezer temperatures programmed to rocket from -30C to 110C (-22F to 230F). Although it’s unknown whether the freezers actually reached temperatures as high as that, the incident is still a worrying development in what looks like an ongoing strategy against key infrastructure targets. The campaign targeted Coolworld, which supplies the French Blood Establishment (EFS). The EFS is responsible for collecting, preparing and distributing blood and blood products in France, many of which are used in essential surgeries and medical operations. Cyberattaque noted this meant that “frozen plasma for transfusions was among the potentially endangered products.” The French Ministry of Health has said that the cyberattack did not result in any serious operational consequences because the temperature spikes were noticed quickly and corrected. What’s not known is how many facilities were affected, how long the disruption lasted and how high the temperature of the freezers actually got. However, there has been no confirmation that any blood stocks had to be destroyed as a result. (Tech Radar)

 

Australia argues in court that social media ban is needed to protect children’s brains

Government lawyers told Australia’s highest court on Wednesday that a world-first ban on children younger than 16 from holding social media accounts was necessary to protect developing brains. The Australian government is fighting in the High Court two constitutional challenges to the ban that took effect last year on young children holding accounts on Reddit, Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube and Twitch. The challenges were brought by Reddit, a U.S. online forum, and Sydney-based rights group Digital Freedom Project. Government lawyer Joanna Davidson on Wednesday continued to outline seven risks to children she argued were posed by social media platform design features. The risks were addictive use, adverse sleep effects, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, exacerbation of disordered eating, and intensification of ADHD symptoms, Davidson said. The challengers argue the ban deprives young children of a right to freedom of political communication implied in Australia’s constitution. The seven judges must decide whether the harm done by limiting children’s political engagement outweighs the harm done by social media platforms. The two-day hearing began on Tuesday. The verdict will likely take months. (Associated Press)

 

Waymo co-CEO addresses scrapped Uber deal as rivalry between rideshare giants heats up

Waymo’s planned scrap of its partnership with Uber in two major markets comes as co-CEO of the self-driving juggernaut said riders’ ability to call an autonomous ride through the app was a “crapshoot.” Tekedra Mawakana, who helps lead Alphabet’s Waymo, said her company’s plan to end an exclusive robotaxi partnership with Uber in Atlanta and Austin came after customer feedback for more consistency when ordering self-driving rides. The exclusive partnership – in which riders use Uber to hail autonomous Waymo vehicles – will sunset in January 2028, once Waymo begins to offer the service through its own app in those cities. The comments shed light on the burgeoning rivalry between ride hailing platforms and makers of self-driving vehicles. The moves are the latest indication that ride-hailing platforms like Uber and Lyft could potentially get cut out of the market – which some investors have long predicted – as makers of self-driving cars launch their own apps. Elon Musk’s Tesla has also sought to rely on its own robotaxi app rather than deepening ties with the ride-hailing networks. Waymo – which operates roughly 4,000 vehicles across the US and does more than 500,000 trips per week in 14 cities – already offers rides through its own app in San Francisco and other markets, putting it in competition with Uber. Mawakana said the decision to scrap the Uber partnership came after riders expressed difficulty with securing Waymos in Austin and Atlanta – even though they can indicate a preference for an autonomous vehicle in Uber’s app. She added that customers wanted a consistent offering from a single app. (New York Post)

 

McDonald’s plans new value bundles next year after US traffic falls in third quarter

McDonald’s plans to introduce new value-oriented meal bundles early next year after a disappointing third quarter that saw lower traffic at U.S. restaurants. McDonald’s Chairman and CEO Chris Kempczinski said Wednesday that the company recently began an eight-week test of mix-and-match and fixed-price bundles at 1,900 U.S. restaurants. Those bundles might feature a McChicken sandwich and small fries for $3.50, for example. But around 4,000 franchisees have decided not to wait for the test results and have launched meal bundles of their own, he said. “Customers should see a clear and compelling value proposition every time they consider McDonald’s, whether they’re looking for an affordable individual item, a complete meal or a digital offer in the mobile app,” Kempczinski said. McDonald’s restored some regional and national in-app deals and shifted some marketing spending to support value meals, which helped push same-store sales into positive territory in September and October. But the shift in focus at McDonald’s shows how challenging the economic environment has become for U.S. fast food companies, which are losing customers as many Americans struggle with higher gas prices and the uncomfortably high cost of living. Third-quarter foot traffic fell 2.6% across the entire fast food sector in the U.S., according to Revenue Management Solutions, a restaurant industry consultant. McDonald’s has been tweaking its U.S. value offerings for more than two years to try to lure back lower-income customers and better compete with rivals like Taco Bell, which offers a menu of 10 items that each cost $3 or less. (Yahoo Finance)

 

Microsoft Patents an AI That Can Literally Put Words in People’s Mouths in Real Time

Microsoft just filed a patent for an AI product that would be able to transform live video in real time to alter speakers’ words and faces. The patent, as first flagged by patent-tracker Patentlyze, is described by its inventors as a “near real-time artificial intelligence (AI) enhancement of video or augmented reality (AR) presentations of live events.” Using AI agents, the system would identify and alter or remove certain words, while editing a speaker’s face and mouth to match. The agents would rely on set parameters or user profiles to make the changes, and would also edit the video and audio just before and after a removed or replaced word to allow for “smooth transitions.” In an era of media and the internet increasingly defined by AI-fueled deepfakes, disinformation, and information-muddling slop, the system described in this patent may represent a new world of filtering tools that subtly alter reality as it takes place, in this case on a highly-personalized level. Viewers, the patent suggests, could consume whatever live event they want to without hearing what they don’t want to hear. The potential use cases floated in the patent vary. One possible application is real-time translation, with the system allowing for broadcasts and other live footage to be both heard and seen in a viewer’s preferred language. The patent also posits that such a tool could be used to remove filler words like “um” or “ah” from live speech, or to erase stutters or speech impediments. (Futurism)

 

Your iPhone Will Get the Duo’s StandBy Clock Upgrades, New Karaoke Mode

our iPhone’s next major upgrade will bring with it one of the best software features from Apple’s iPhone Duo foldable. iOS 27.3’s first developer beta details many in-development upgrades, but these likely won’t arrive in their final form until December. The iPhone Duo comes with an expanded StandBy mode feature, offering more clock face options and customization tools when the phone emulates a digital alarm clock while charging. That’s coming soon to all iPhones capable of running iOS 27.3. The StandBy expansion includes two new faces to show your calendar or local weather, plus tweaks to the existing Photos option. Every clock face now lets you add more colors, and there are even more complications. You can also build multiple different faces and cycle between them by swiping on the screen. Other new iOS 27.3 features include Apple Music’s Selfie Sing: a karaoke mode on the streamer that lets you start a recording with your selfie camera, pick a song from the Apple Music Sing playlist, and display the lyrics on your phone’s screen. iOS 27.3 will also bring two new changes to Safari: one to allow for vertical tabs on the browser, plus an Adaptive Dark Mode feature to enforce the color palette even when a website isn’t built to do so natively. (PC Mag)

 

Why are people attacking food delivery robots?

There’s something pretty strange happening on American sidewalks. People are picking fights with food delivery robots. Yes, those little four-wheeled machines that roll around carrying somebody’s meal are getting kicked and knocked over. Some people are even filming themselves doing it. After all, watching a small machine navigate city streets with a bag of burgers inside is pretty impressive. But apparently, some people have had enough of these rolling delivery machines. And when you look at what’s happening, you start to see just how frustrated some Americans have become with artificial intelligence showing up in their neighborhoods. In Philadelphia, an Uber Eats delivery robot found itself on the receiving end of two kicks in late March 2026. The second kick reportedly knocked it over near a parking garage. The people involved eventually put it back on its wheels, but the encounter became another example of people taking out their frustrations on delivery technology. And Philadelphia is hardly alone. Similar attacks have surfaced in Los Angeles and other cities. Videos circulating online show robots being tipped over or deliberately kicked. Some encounters have attracted enormous attention, turning attacks on delivery robots into viral entertainment. Think about that for a second. These machines generally move at walking speed. Some even have friendly-looking digital eyes that make them look like little cartoon characters. Yet somehow, they’ve become targets for people who seem determined to teach them a lesson. Here’s what I find particularly strange. A robot can’t argue with someone who attacks it. It certainly can’t defend itself the way a person might. So what is it about these little machines that makes some people so angry? For many people, artificial intelligence represents a pretty unsettling change, especially when it comes to their jobs. We’ve already seen AI take on tasks that people once handled. Now we’re watching robots roll down sidewalks doing work that someone used to get paid for. And unlike software running quietly in the background, these machines are right there in front of us. Consider someone who earns money delivering meals for Uber Eats. Every order completed by a robot could potentially mean one less opportunity for a human delivery worker. Companies say automation can make deliveries more efficient. (Fox News)

 

Prehistoric “Giant” Previously Unknown to Science Revealed from Fossil Discovery in Thailand

Scientists have discovered new evidence of a previously unknown species of giant that once roamed southern Thailand. The discovery, revealed from the discovery of a pair of ancient fossil teeth, has now helped identify an unknown species of colossal rodent, which once weighed close to 30 kilograms. Likened to a “giant rat” by paleontologists, this ancient mammal now represents one of the largest creatures of its kind from the Paleogene period, providing insights—and raising new questions—over how the ancestors of modern rodents grew to such sizes. The discovery was revealed after the retrieval of a curious pair of fossil teeth—a molar and an incisor—unearthed in a coal mine in Thailand’s southern Krabi province more than two decades ago. Later the same day, a molar was uncovered along with the incisor. The location had previously been the discovery site of ancient fossils belonging to other mammal species, including ancient primates. After more than twenty years, the fossils Tian uncovered were finally identified as belonging to a rodent, and one comparable in size to the world’s largest living variety today: South America’s capybara. While similar in size to some of today’s largest capybaras, this ancient fossil rodent hails from an entirely different family of rodents known as Ischyromyidae. Much remains to be determined about the ancient species, including how it looked and what it ate, although the two fossils may offer some clues about the creature’s diet and other behaviors. Following the discovery, the new species was given the formal name Yakamys sirindhornae, a name given in tribute to the country’s Princess Sirindhorn, a notable advocate for paleontological research. (The Debrief)

 

Scientists Found the One Thing Stress Is Actually Good For

Stress is so unavoidable that we often have no choice but to laugh as it slowly and inevitably consumes us. Despite how often it might make us want to force a smile as we scream into the abyss, stress has some positive side effects, including how it releases the often-demonized hormone known as cortisol. Late-night infomercials blasting the newest pill or concoction to reduce cortisol production are missing something: the hormone they’re so eager to suppress has a hidden upside. It turns out that cortisol helps us hold on to memories. Not all stress is bad. When the brain detects a stressor, it triggers a short-term biological response known as fight-or-flight. The body can handle these episodes as long as they’re balanced by downtime, like a good night’s sleep. Chronic stress, which can drag on for months or years, is often damaging. But short bursts of stress can actually enhance memory, thanks to the cortisol they release. Scientists already knew cortisol was linked to memory, but now a team of Yale University researchers has dug deeper to learn why some memories fade while others live rent-free in our heads indefinitely. “Stress powerfully influences what we learn and remember, prioritizing encoding of emotionally arousing and stress-relevant memoranda at the expense of neutral content,” the researchers said. “These benefits are related to increased levels of stress-related hormones.” (Popular Mechanics)

 

‘Tighty whities’ really do damage men’s fertility: Study of 27,000 men confirms tight briefs impact sperm quality and sexual function

The question of ‘boxers or briefs’ has divided men for decades. Now, a study has finally revealed the best option for men concerned with their fertility. Scientists from the University of Science and Technology of China enlisted almost 27,000 men, who self-reported wearing either loose or tight underwear. An analysis of their semen revealed that both quality and quantity were lower among men who preferred wearing ‘tighty whities’. ‘TU [tight underwear] was associated with poorer semen quality and a higher prevalence of erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation,’ the team explained. ‘Choosing LU [loose underwear] may represent a simple, modifiable approach to help protect semen quality and sexual function.’ In recent decades, studies have shown that men’s semen quality has significantly declined around the world.  Several contributing factors have already been identified – including lifestyle choices, environmental exposures, and occupational hazards. However, until now, whether or not your choice of underwear impacts your fertility and sexual function has remained unclear. In addition, the results revealed a link between tight underwear and sexual dysfunction. They explained: ‘In addition to heat stress, prolonged use of TU [tight underwear] can reduce testosterone secretion and lead to sexual dysfunction.’ Based on the findings, the researchers suggest that men looking to protect their semen quality and sexual function should reconsider their underwear choices. They concluded: ‘Taken together, these findings indicate that TU is a readily modifiable lifestyle factor that may negatively affect spermatogenesis, sperm DNA integrity, and male sexual function.’ (Daily Mail)

 

Friday Is Spent With:

• Basketball Day
• Fountain Pen Day (First Friday)
• International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict
• Jersey Friday (First Friday)
• Love Your Lawyer Day (First Friday)
• Marijuana Recreational Legalization Day (Colorado & Washington)
• Medical Science Liaison Awareness & Appreciation Day (First Friday)
• Nachos Day
• Saxophone Day
• World Town Planning Day

 

Historical Events

1789 – Father John Carroll was appointed as the first Roman Catholic bishop in the United States of America.

1832 – Joseph Smith, III, was born. He was the first president of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He was also the son of Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism.

1851 – Charles Henry Dow was born. He was the founder of Dow Jones & Company.

1856 – “Scenes of Clerical Life”, the first work of fiction by the author later known as George Eliot, is submitted for publication.

1860 – Abraham Lincoln was elected to be the sixteenth president of the United States.

1861 – The inventor of basketball, James Naismith, was born.

1861 – Jefferson Davis elected as president of Confederate States of America. The senator from Mississippi was the provisional president of the Confederacy since February 1861. Despite being an effective president, his popularity waned as the Confederate government experienced losses during the Civil War. He was captured by Northern Soldiers in 1865 and imprisoned for 2 years.

1865 – American Civil War: CSS Shenandoah is the last Confederate combat unit to surrender after circumnavigating the globe on a cruise on which it sank or captured 37 vessels.

1869 – The first official intercollegiate football game was played in New Brunswick, NJ.

1894 – William C. Hooker received a patent for the mousetrap.

1903 – Philippe Bunau-Varilla, as Panama’s ambassador to the United States, signed the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty. The document granted rights to the United States to build and indefinitely administer the Panama Canal Zone and its defenses.

1913 – Mohandas K. Gandhi was arrested as he led a march of Indian miners in South Africa.

1917 – During World War I, Candian forces take the village of Passchendaele, Belgium, in the Third Battle of Ypres.

1918 – The Second Polish Republic is proclaimed in Poland.

1923 – Jacob Schick was granted a patent for the electric shaver.

1935 – Edwin H. Armstrong announced his development of FM broadcasting.

1939 – World War II: Sonderaktion Krakau takes place.

1947 – Meet the Press makes its TV debut. The longest running TV news show was first hosted by journalist and creator Martha Rountree and aired on NBC.

1948 – Deputy commander-in-chief of the Eastern China Field Army General Su Yu launched a massive offensive toward Xuzhou, defended by seven different armies under the Suppression General Headquarter of Xuzhou Garrison, the Huaihai Campaign, the largest operational campaign of the Chinese Civil War begins.

1952 – The first hydrogen bomb was exploded at Eniwetok Atoll in the Pacific Ocean.

1961 – In the Saraha Desert of Algeria, a natural gas well ignited when a pipe ruptured. The flames rose between 450 feet and 800 feet. The fire burned until April 28, 1962 when a team led by Red Adair used explosives to deprived the fire of oxygen. (Devil’s Cigarette Lighter)

1962 – United Nations passes resolution to condemn Apartheid in South Africa. The UN General Assembly asked its member states to stand up against apartheid and to cut off relations with South Africa in order to make a point. Apartheid was an official policy of racial discrimination and segregation followed in South Africa. Despite the UN Resolution, it remained governmental policy until 1994, when democratic general elections were held in the country.

1963 – Vietnam War: Following the November 1 coup and execution of President Ngo Dinh Diem, coup leader General Duong Van Minh takes over leadership of South Vietnam.

1965 – The Freedom Flights program began which would allow 250,000 Cubans to come to the United States by 1971.

1967 – Phil Donahue began a TV talk show in Dayton, OH. The show was on the air for 29 years.

1971 – The United States Atomic Energy Commission tests the largest U.S. underground hydrogen bomb, code-named Cannikin, on Amchitka Island in the Aleutians.

1973 – NASA’s Pioneer 10 spacecraft began photographing Jupiter.

1975 – King Hassan II of Morocco launches the Green March, a mass migration of 300,000 unarmed Moroccans, that march into the nation of Western Sahara.

1977 – 39 people were killed when an earthen dam burst, sending a wall of water through the campus of Toccoa Falls Bible College in Georgia.

1983 – U.S. Army choppers dropped hundreds of leaflets over northern and central Grenada. The leaflets urged residents to cooperate in locating any Grenadian army or Cuban resisters to the U.S-led invasion.

1984 – For the first time in 193 years, the New York Stock Exchange remained open during a presidential election day.

1985 – Palace of Justice is Seized in Colombia. 25 guerrillas from the 19th of April Movement or the M-19 took over the Palace of Justice which houses the Colombian Supreme Court. They took 300 people hostage. The ensuing fight between the rebels and the government’s forces left more than 100 people, including 11 Supreme Court justices dead.

1986 – Former Navy radioman John A. Walker Jr., was sentenced in Baltimore to life imprisonment. Walker had admitted to being the head of a family spy ring.

1986 – U.S. intelligence sources confirmed a story run by the Lebanese magazine Ash Shiraa that reported the U.S. had been secretly selling arms to Iran in an effort to secure the release of seven American hostages.

1989 – In the hopes of freeing U.S. hostages held in Iran, the U.S. announced that it would unfreeze $567 million in Iranian assets that had been held since 1979.

1990 – About 20% of the Universal Studios backlot in southern California was destroyed in an arson fire.

1991 – Kuwait celebrated the dousing of the last of the oil fires ignited by Iraq during the Persian Gulf War.

1995 – Art Modell, the owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced plans to move his team to Baltimore. (Maryland)

1995 – Mark Messier scored his 500th NHL goal.

1996 – Michael Jordan scored 50 points for the 29th time in his NBA career.

1998 – The Islamic militant group Hamas exploded a car bomb killing the two attackers and injuring 21 civilians.

1999 – Australian republic referendum. The referendum was held to amend the Australian constitution, which would have made the country a republic with a president as its head of state. If the referendum had passed, Australia would no longer have been a constitutional monarchy.

2001 – In London, the “Lest We Forget” exhibit opened at the National Memorial Arboretum. Fred Seiker was the creator of the 24 watercolors. Seiker was a prisoner of war that had been forced to build the Burma Railroad, the “railway of death,” for the Japanese during World War II.

2001 – In Madrid, Spain, a car bomb injured about 60 people. The bomb was blamed on Basque separatists.

2001 – Ten people were executed in Beijing, China. The state newspaper of China said that all of the people executed were robbers and killers aged 20-23.

2001 – Disney’s “Mickey’s Magical Christmas – Snowed In at the House Of Mouse” was released on video and DVD.

2005 – The Evansville Tornado of November 2005 kills 25 in Northwestern Kentucky and Southwestern Indiana.