Author: Gist It

  • When will air quality improve? A lot is riding on the wind

    Millions of Americans are under air quality alerts as smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to affect the Northeast and Midwest. Driving the news: The haze from the wildfires poses health risks to children, the elderly, and those with heart and respiratory conditions, and has disrupted air travel and outdoor activities. * Some areas in New […]

  • A lesson Parkland shooting survivor David Hogg learned: Find the joy

    Parkland shooting survivor David Hogg discusses his advocacy work and finding joy in activism in a recent interview. Surviving the shooting: Hogg was in his high school when the 2018 Parkland shooting occurred, and began recording with his phone during the event. * He interviewed classmates so that if they didn’t make it out, their […]

  • Octopuses tweak the RNA in their brains to adjust to warmer and cooler waters

    Octopuses can edit the RNA in their brains to adapt to temperature changes in their environment, according to a study published in the journal Cell. Background: Octopuses, known for their intelligence and problem-solving abilities, have sophisticated brains and complex nervous systems that require maintenance at stable temperatures. * Maintaining a complex nervous system in fluctuating […]

  • Supreme Court sides with Jack Daniel’s in trademark dispute with dog toy maker

    The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously sided with Jack Daniel’s in a trademark dispute against dog toy maker Bad Spaniel. The issue: Jack Daniel’s argued that the parody dog toy, mimicking its whiskey bottle design, infringed on its trademark rights. * The court decided that the use of a mark to parody or comment on another’s […]

  • 4 young children are critically wounded in a knife attack in a French Alpine town

    A knife attack in a French Alpine town left four young children critically wounded and two adults injured. The attack: A man with a knife attacked four children between 22 months and 3 years old at a lakeside park in the French Alps on Thursday. * Two adults were also wounded in the attack. * […]

  • Wade Goodwyn, longtime NPR correspondent, dies at age 63

    Longtime NPR correspondent Wade Goodwyn has passed away at the age of 63 due to cancer. A storied career: Goodwyn reported on major stories for over 25 years, covering events such as the Oklahoma City bombing, school shootings, hurricanes, the American Sniper murder trial, and the Boy Scouts sexual abuse scandal. * He possessed a […]

  • Asian Americans are at high risk for diabetes. Here’s what can help

    Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders face higher rates of diabetes and are prone to developing Type 2 diabetes at younger ages and lower body weights than the general U.S. population. Understanding ‘skinny fat’: Researchers found that Asian bodies tend to store fat around important organs, leading to being “skinny fat,” which may contribute to Type […]

  • Supreme Court upholds Voting Rights Act in Alabama redistricting case

    The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the Voting Rights Act in an Alabama redistricting case with a 5 to 4 vote, supporting a 1986 decision maintaining protections for majority Black or near-majority Black congressional districts. The big picture: The conservative court has previously gutted provisions of the Voting Rights Act, but this unexpected ruling essentially […]

  • Pat Robertson, televangelist and a leader of the religious right, dies at 93

    Televangelist Pat Robertson, a leader of the religious right, passed away on June 8 at the age of 93. Early life and influence: Robertson founded the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) in 1960, which eventually expanded worldwide. * He later established Regent University in Virginia Beach, and in 1988, ran for the Republican presidential nomination. * […]

  • Book bans are on the rise. Biden is naming a point person to address that

    President Biden is appointing a book ban coordinator in the Education Department to address the rise of book bans targeting LGBTQI+ Americans. The announcement: During a Pride Month event, Biden will announce new actions to tackle discrimination against LGBTQI+ Americans, including the book ban coordinator appointment. * Neera Tanden, Biden’s domestic policy adviser, says the […]