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The sharp rise in demand for critical minerals is deepening poverty, creating water insecurity, and destroying vulnerable communities, according to a new UN study. The study, conducted by the United Nations University's Institute for Water, Environment, and Health, found that the demand for critical minerals is at an all-time high. The world's transition to artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and electric cars, among others, is driving this change, as oil is no longer needed to generate power. Instead, countries need batteries and microchips, which are made of rare earth minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel. The UN study confirmed that developed nations like the US, Europe, and China are disproportionately receiving the benefits of this shift to renewables and AI, allowing them to better their infrastructure and create a stronger society. However, it comes at the expense of vulnerable developing nations. Some of the most mineral-rich regions of the world are in the Global South. Around 60% of the world's lithium is located within an area known as the Lithium Triangle in South America, encompassing parts of Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, in central Africa, possesses between 40-50% of the world's cobalt and the nation holds around $24 trillion worth of rare earths. In the United States, more than 75% of mineral-rich areas are located on or near Native American lands, raising fears that increased rare earths mining could impact their communities as well. Particularly, the incredible amounts of water used in the extraction process have created extreme water insecurity in certain areas. According to the report, the world's global lithium output in 2024 – 265,000 tons – required more than 120 billion gallons of water; enough to satisfy the annual water needs of 62 million people living through water scarcity in sub-Saharan Africa. In these areas, groundwater sources are being depleted at an alarming rate, and water tables are plummeting. This high water consumption also prevents that same water from being used for domestic agriculture, meaning that many farms become unable to produce. Meanwhile, runoff from mines enters the water table and allows heavy metals to enter drinking water supplies. The impacts of heavy metal poisoning are severe, resulting in birth defects and adverse health issues for people living in mineral-rich areas. As a whole, critical minerals are being used for the right purposes, but the way we extract them does just as much damage – if not more damage – to local environments. The report states that for every ton of rare earths that are extracted, around 2,000 tons of toxic waste are generated. Vulnerable communities are suffering the impacts of this, with locals experiencing water insecurity, poisoning from dangerous heavy metals, and even more vulnerability than they already go through. Instead of demanding a halt to critical minerals mining, the UN study acknowledges that mining for rare earths is crucial for a shift towards a greener future. However, the report urges governments and companies to place guidelines and rules in place to restrict mineral mining to a point where it can benefit the community rather than destroy it. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Cranes are built using cranes. Yes, they build themselves. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Excellence is the unlimited ability to improve the quality of what you have to offer. (Rick Pitino) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Speculate (verb, SPEK-yuh-layt) - In general contexts, speculate means "to form ideas or theories about something usually when there are many things not known about it." In contexts relating to business or finance, it means "to invest money in ways that could produce a large profit but that also involve a lot of risk." In a Sentence: Scientists speculate that the newly discovered exoplanet could host liquid water. Image credit to Tom Hagan

The United Arab Emirates has officially withdrawn from OPEC and OPEC+ to prioritize their national interests– a shock move for most of the world. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was formed in 1960 as an alliance between the world's top exporters, aiming to stabilize global oil prices with quotas for each member country. The group's primary objective was to secure consistent income for producers while facilitating the sale of their oil to consumers. Today, the organization maintains 12 members, concentrated across the Middle East and Africa. In 2016, OPEC+ was formed, establishing an alliance between OPEC and non-OPEC oil producers like Russia, Kazakhstan, Bahrain, Mexico, and Malaysia. Together, OPEC+ members control around 59% of the global oil market, led by Saudi Arabia, which is the world's second-largest oil producer behind the United States. Now, the UAE has announced that they will leave both organizations, effective immediately. This move is primarily due to the Iran war, which has strangled Gulf states' capacities to export and sell oil to the rest of the world. The UAE perceives demand for oil as high in the world's current state, and they believe that avoiding OPEC's production quotas is best for their national interests. The move also comes amid rising tensions with Saudi Arabia in Yemen, where Saudi-backed proxies are engaging in conflicts with the UAE's own proxies in the region. The move will allow the UAE to ramp up oil production by up to 2 million barrels per day– OPEC-set production cuts limited their exports to 3 million barrels per day, but they have the capacity to reach 5 million by 2027. The move will also allow the nation to become a larger player on the world stage as their influence over the oil market increases. However, how that increase in capacity will impact global oil prices is yet to be seen. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): There are no significant visual differences between male and female herons, though there are subtle differences that are usually noticed only by experts. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Sometimes luck can be that driving force that catapults your life into a storm of success along with hard work, dedication and perseverance. (Zak Frazer) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Evanescent (adj, ev-uh-NESS-unt) - Evanescent is a formal and literary word that describes something that only lasts a very short time. In a Sentence: Our acting coach always reminded us that fame is evanescent, and that we should pursue a life in the theater purely for the love of the art. Image credit to Invezz

According to a new study, global military spending has reached an all-time high, with Europe leading the way in the increases. The new study, conducted by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, marks the 11th straight year of growth in military spending as global security concerns ramp up and individual militarization efforts ramp up. The study found global military spending in 2025 to be almost $2.9 trillion– around 2.5% of the world's gross domestic product (GDP). The United States, China, and Russia, as the top three spenders, accounted for more than 51% of global spending– the US alone spent more than $954 billion, which was a 7.5% decline from 2024. China's spending increased by 7.4% to $336 billion, and Russia's military expenditures increased by 5.9% to $190 billion. As a whole, NATO accounted for $1.58 trillion of the world's $2.9 trillion in military spending, making up a whopping 55% of the global total. NATO also happened to be the largest driver of growth in global spending, particularly in Europe. Over the last year, US President Donald Trump has urged member nations to individually militarize and contribute a larger portion to the organization, as the US accounts for more than 60% of NATO's current expenditures. In 2025, military spending in Europe exploded by 14%, rising to $864 billion, the highest-ever recorded level for the continent. Among all member nations, Poland had the highest military spending relative to economic size, making up 4.5% of GDP. Ukraine, on the other hand, spent $84.1 billion on military – more than 40% of their GDP – as the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues. Military spending also rose by 8.1% in Asia and Oceania, driven by increases in China (7.4%), Taiwan (14%), and Japan (9.7%). Africa saw an increase by 8.5% as well, but developed African countries like South Africa tend to spend much less on military to avoid the prospect of additional warfare. Algeria (11%) and Morocco (6.6%) drove the increase in spending due to rising tensions between the two– Algeria and Morocco spent $25.4 billion and $6.3 billion, respectively, on military in 2024. Together, they made up over 54% of Africa's total expenditures, which were around $58.4 billion. As a whole, the world's military spending increased by 2.9% in 2025, which was the lowest increase in years. This reduction in growth was largely driven by the United States, where the Trump administration has refused to provide military aid to Ukraine in their war against Russia. Military aid is classified under total expenditures by the study, meaning that the lack of aid contributed to a significant drop in American military spending. However, the rest of the globe ramped up military spending by a staggering 9.2% in 2025– a sign of rising global tensions and an increased likelihood of conflict. Also, the US has already approved a military budget of more than $1 trillion for 2026, meaning that the numbers found by year's study are likely to increase even further. View the full study here. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The smallest thing ever photographed is the shadow of an atom. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it. (General Douglas MacArthur) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Boondoggle (noun, BOON-dah-gul) - A boondoggle is an expensive and wasteful project usually paid for with public money. Boondoggle is also a word for a braided cord worn by Boy Scouts as a neckerchief slide, hatband, or ornament. In a Sentence: Critics say the dam is a complete boondoggle—over budget, behind schedule, and unnecessary. Image credit to US Army

Yesterday, April 26, marked 40 years since the Chernobyl nuclear disaster– here's what's happening in the region and how the area around the failed power plant is faring. Chernobyl, a nuclear power plant in northern Ukraine, saw the world's worst-ever nuclear disaster during a reactor meltdown in 1986, devastating the region. Several dangerous experiments conducted by local scientists in addition to structural problems with the reactor resulted in a partial meltdown. Meanwhile, the out-of-control reactions taking place sparked a massive fireball that blew the top off the reactor, releasing hazardous radioactive material into the atmosphere. 40 years on, the region around Chernobyl is largely abandoned. A massive, 1,600-square-mile exclusion zone encompasses the reactor site and several towns surrounding the area, including a portion of southern Belarus across the border. Despite the radiation, unique animals thrive in the region, which is completely devoid of human life. Scientists are still conducting tests on local wildlife, but they have found adaptations to live with the radiation– for example, one study found that frogs within the exclusion zone have developed darker skin, likely to protect against the radiation. These genetic mutations can help scientists further understand the impacts of radiation on animals and even humans, in addition to providing valuable insight into these mutations and how they occur in the first place. The exclusion area almost acts as a nature preserve, allowing massive populations of deer, elk, bison, horses, and other animals to thrive. Ideas for how to use the land had been propagated for decades, including ideas like conversion to a solar farm or using the land to store other nations' nuclear waste, which has become a growing problem. Nevertheless, that has been impacted by Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine, which has put all plans on hold. Ukrainian soldiers routinely practice defending the plant, as a Russian occupation of Chernobyl could impact restoration efforts and block scientists from conducting further studies to determine the safety of the area. Mishaps also happen occasionally, like radiation fires, which must be handled before worsening the situation. Conflict is inherently dangerous to Chernobyl as a whole– in 2022, Russia flew an Iranian Shahed drone into the $2.5 billion steel shell that encloses the collapsed reactor, creating a hole that allowed dangerous radiation to escape. The drone cost just $50,000, but the repairs to fix the hole will cost over $500 million because of the difficult nature of the task. Due to the radiation, humans will likely never be able to return to Chernobyl, but its protection is necessary for the health and safety of both humans and the environment. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Doug Engelbart created the very first computer mouse from a curved shell of wood in 1964 at the Stanford Research Institute. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Genius is the capacity to see ten things where the ordinary man sees one. (Ezra Pound) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Onerous (adj, AH-nuh-rus) - Onerous means "involving, imposing, or constituting a burden." It typically describes something that is difficult and unpleasant to do or deal with. In a Sentence: They were assigned the onerous task of post-show cleanup. Image credit to Shutterstock

Secret Service agents were forced to evacuate the President of the United States and numerous other high-ranking officials after a gunman stormed a correspondents' dinner in Washington DC. Meant for high-profile journalists and high-ranking members of government, the dinner aimed to celebrate journalism and re-establish the power of the First Amendment during a time when the Trump administration has largely restricted media freedom compared to previous administrations. President Trump was set to give a speech addressing his ongoing relationship with the media and the expectations he would set for the remainder of his second presidential term, but those plans were disrupted by the events that took place. Gunshots could be heard echoing in the ballroom, which was underground, but Trump later stated that he believed the sound to be that of a tray dropping. The sound was actually revealed to be the noises produced by around 5-8 gunshots, sparking panic across the ballroom. Guests dove under tables and the Secret Service leaped into action, rapidly escorting high-level officials like Trump, the First Lady, and Vice President JD Vance. The man, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old from California, stormed the lobby of the Washington Hilton, the hotel above the ballroom where the dinner was taking place. He sprinted past protective barriers, armed with knives and guns, and opened fire in the hotel lobby in an apparent solo act. The gunman was quickly detained by security forces, though at least one officer wearing a bulletproof vest was injured by a gunshot. No other officials or journalists were injured during the startling turn of events, and the banquet will be rescheduled for a later date. However, the shooting sparked further debate over America's ongoing gun crisis and how technology is playing an even greater role in these events– artificial intelligence companies have been sued for encouraging mass shootings or other forms of violence, and many gunmen conduct extensive online research before executing plans that can kill dozens of people. This has particularly become a problem at schools and universities, which continue to suffer from extreme gun violence, but the American government refuses to take action on the issue. The shooting also reminds the American population and the Trump administration that such high-level positions are incredibly risky on a day-to-day basis, as shown by the previous attempt on Trump's life in July 2024 at a rally and the fatal shooting of MAGA supporter and advocate Charlie Kirk in September 2025. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Italy built an entire "bunker" courthouse in Sicily to prosecute the Mafia. They charged 474 members in a trial that lasted from 1986-1992, making it the largest-ever trial in the world. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): The real alchemy is transforming the base self into gold or into spiritual awareness. That’s really what new alchemy’s all about. (Fred Alan Wolf) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Juxtapose (verb, JUK-stuh-pohz) - To juxtapose things is to place them together in order to create an interesting effect or to show how they are the same or different. In a Sentence: The local museum’s new exhibit juxtaposes modern art with classical art. Image credit to Reuters

A first-of-its-kind climate summit that excludes fossil-fuel supporting nations is taking place on the Colombian coastline over the next five days, sparking hope that they could work to create a true climate action plan without hindrances. The summit, taking place in the town of Santa Marta, is one of the first-ever climate conferences to completely exclude the United Nations, primarily due to the stark opposition climate-supporting nations face from fossil fuel-friendly countries. Oil lobbying also plays a huge factor in decision-making at major conferences, like the recent COP30 in Belém, Brazil. Oil-producing countries like Saudi Arabia consistently hold back nations focused on preventing climate change, leading to mere frameworks and inaction as a group. The plastics industry is also strongly connected to oil, as plastics are a petroleum-based product, negatively impacting efforts to combat litter, microplastics pollution, and other factors. However, this new conference, aimed at taking real action, excludes those nations, including the United States. The Trump administration has consistently taken a pro-fossil fuel approach, with Trump even denying the existence of climate change as a whole. The United States' power over the rest of the world has also driven other countries to disregard or place environmental concerns on the backburner; just yesterday, France announced that they would be removing climate change from the agenda of the upcoming G7 conference in June, in order to prevent a confrontation with the United States over the topic. Of course, this has been highly contended against by established scientists, and the effects of climate change are already being felt all over the world. Because of this, nations attending the conference in Colombia – which will be co-hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands – have deemed it imperative that action is taken. Over 60 countries will be in attendance, including the United Kingdom, Brazil, the Philippines, and the European Union as a whole. World leaders have asserted that the absence of major oil-producing nations and climate change-denying countries like the United States will foster a more productive environment for negotiations and is much more likely to produce a tangible outcome, rather than having talks fall apart due to oil lobbying and other political factors that fail to prioritize the health and safety of the Earth. Bolstering renewable energy is also one of the strongest ways to reduce energy dependency, particularly during a time when many nations are struggling to keep oil and natural gas flowing as the US-Iran war persists. The current situation in the Strait of Hormuz has motivated developing and developed nations alike to ramp up energy independence, as they have seen what a lack of oil can do to their respective economies. Even oil-producing nations are beginning to realize the impending global shift– Colombia itself is a massive oil and coal exporter, with fossil fuels making up more than 10% of the nation's GDP. Nevertheless, they recognize that renewables are the future, and they are currently investing millions into a smooth clean energy transition that is set to take place over the next few decades. However, that isn't to say that all nations attending the conference are in agreement. Some believe in different methods of transitioning away from fossil fuels, including whether a treaty or action plan should be binding or not. This conference will set the stage for what future negotiations for the rest of the world might look like, but the absence of pro-fossil fuel nations are sure to create a more productive environment that is more likely to end with an actual result. Whether anything actually will be achieved, though, is still in contention– and a real result could look like a plan, a treaty, or even just a standard or a deadline to attempt to make the transition to clean energy more efficient or more cost-effective. The conference runs from April 24-29, so the world will be watching to see what stance each country takes on climate change and what they might come up with. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Many Pixar movies contain a reference to the Pixar movie that comes after it. For example, Monsters Inc., released in 2001, contains a scene where Boo gives Sulley a Nemo toy. Finding Nemo was released in 2003, and that movie contains a scene where a child at a dentist's office is reading a Mr. Incredible comic– The Incredibles was released the following year. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Commitment is the foundation of great accomplishments. (Heidi Reeder) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Arboreal (adj, ahr-BOR-ee-ul) - Arboreal is a formal and literary word used to describe something that relates to trees. It is also used in technical contexts to mean "living in or often found in trees," as in "arboreal primates." In a Sentence: Despite weekly hikes on the same trail, she never ceases to be amazed by the arboreal beauty. Image credit to the New York Times

US President Donald Trump has announced a three-week extension to the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire following two rounds of successful peace talks at the White House. Since early April, Israel has bombarded Lebanon with missiles and drones as they attempt to fully eliminate Hezbollah, an Iran-backed proxy. However, the group is so deeply intertwined within Lebanon that they have proven incredibly tough to fight. In fact, Hezbollah even maintains several members inside the Lebanese Parliament, despite being labeled an international terrorist organization by the United Nations. Nevertheless, Israel's attacks have taken a severe toll on Lebanon. Over 2,480 people have been killed and another 7,700 have been wounded, overwhelming Lebanese hospitals with massive influxes of patients following attacks. At least 1.2 million citizens have been displaced, and Israel's actions have caused extensive infrastructure damage across southern Lebanon, which they have occupied as a "security zone." Due to these factors, last week's ceasefire was a massive relief for Lebanese citizens, who no longer had to constantly worry about incoming missile strikes or drone attacks on their neighborhoods. As that ceasefire approached its end, talks took place at the White House over the past few days. After the second round of negotiations, the two sides agreed to extend the ceasefire by three weeks, bringing additional temporary peace to the region. However, the current peace in Lebanon does not guarantee long-term peace, nor is it something that will solve the problem at hand. Israel demands that the Lebanese government completely eradicate Hezbollah from their territory, but the local government cannot do so due to the deep ties the community has to the terrorist group. Regardless of these concerns over Lebanon's future, stock markets jumped on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite reaching all-time highs despite the fact that Brent crude is back above $100 a barrel. Experts remain wary of the ongoing blockade of Iranian ports, though– many expect Iran to outlast Trump's blockade, which continues to force any Iranian-flagged carriers to return to their port of departure before entering the Arabian Sea. He also extended the United States' ceasefire with Iran several days ago, which many saw as a last-ditch effort to continue recuperating amid the war. As a whole, the conflict in Iran is not forecasted to end anytime soon, meaning that American consumers could see extended price hikes and more market volatility for months, or even upwards of a year. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): If you ate nothing but rabbit meat, you would die from protein poisoning. This would occur because too much protein would be in the body, and an absence of fat and carbohydrates in the diet would force the kidneys and liver to work excessively to break down the proteins. This situation is commonly known as "rabbit starvation" and can occur with any lean meat. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): The best investment with the least risk and the greatest dividend is giving. (John Templeton) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Fortitude (noun, FOR-tuh-tood) - Fortitude is a formal word that refers to the strength of mind that enables someone to encounter danger or to bear pain or adversity with courage. Less formal words with similar meanings include grit, fiber, and pluck. In a Sentence: To reach the summit of the mountain requires not only great physical strength and training but the fortitude to persevere no matter the challenge. Image credit to Getty Images

The United Kingdom has passed a ban on the sale of all tobacco and vape products to anyone born in 2009 or after, making them only the second nation to pass such a law. Tobacco and vape products are some of the most harmful on the market, particularly due to their high addictiveness and appeal to teenagers and young adults. A 2025 WHO report found that between 7.2% and 10% of adolescents worldwide use e-cigarettes, and an even larger percentage smokes regular cigarettes. These temptations as a young, undeveloped child can often lead to lifetime addiction, which comes with a host of negative health effects. Between 70% and 90% of smokers claim that they wish they had never picked up the habit in the first place, and around 60-70% consistently say they want to quit. Unfortunately, less than 10% of smokers are able to quit each year, leading to various adverse health effects and a heavily impacted lifestyle– simply because of a mistake they made as a teenager. However, banning tobacco and vapes altogether proves to be tough for governments, because older generations who have already become addicted are incredibly resistant to changing their ways and oftentimes are too addicted to quit on short notice. Due to this, generational bans are the most effective– rather than banning a particular product for the entire population, it targets a specific young demographic that will grow old, ensuring a smooth transition into an eventual tobacco-free society. New Zealand became the first country to pass a generational ban on tobacco and vapes in 2022, set to take effect in 2024, but a new government elected in 2023 quickly repealed the bill after suspected pressure from the tobacco industry. Currently, the Maldives is the only country in the world with a generational ban on the products– on the island chain, the sale of tobacco and vapes to anyone born on or after January 1, 2007 is illegal. Now, the United Kingdom is following the same path. The British Parliament approved the Tobacco and Vapes Bill on Tuesday, leaving just a formal signature from King Charles III before it is officially signed into law. The bill will officially prohibit the sale of tobacco or vapes to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009, along with imposing new restrictions on manufacturers like advertising limits. It will also include further measures that prevent people from smoking in specific public places, enhancing the everyday lives of non-smokers and creating a more hospitable environment for all. According to the New York Times, Parliament also aims to reduce Britain's spending on the adverse health effects that are caused by smoking. Over 10% of adults in the UK are smokers, but those 10% alone cost the government more than $29 billion a year in public healthcare costs and lost productivity. The bill also represents Europe's goal as a whole– the European Commission has set an official goal to achieve a "tobacco-free generation" by 2040, aiming for smoking rates to drop below 5%. However, more than 25% of Europeans currently smoke, and it contributes to around 16% of all adult deaths in Europe. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): There is a species of marine plankton called dinoflagellates which, if consumed, reverses your feeling of hot and cold using a type of neurotoxin called a ciguatoxin. The plankton, which can also enter the body through fish, also causes hallucinations, metallic taste, dizziness, and nausea. Symptoms can last from weeks to years. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): It’s the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen. (Muhammad Ali) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Tantamount (adj, TAN-tuh-mount) - Something may be described as tantamount to something else if it is equal in value, meaning, or effect. In a Sentence: The pop star’s fans see any criticism of her music as tantamount to a crime. Image credit to Flickr

Happy Earth Day, readers! To celebrate this incredible day, we have a special piece of Earth-themed good news for you all! To learn more about the issues plaguing our planet and how you can help, visit the Climate section of our website! As microplastics continue to become a larger problem throughout the globe, scientists have found a tree that could solve the crisis. Plastic has an incredibly short history when compared to the life of the Earth, or even the age of humans on the Earth. The world's first plastic was derived from cellulose, an organic compound that makes up the cell walls of wood and cotton, in 1862. The first fully synthetic plastic, known as bakelite, was manufactured in 1907 from an oil-based compound, and plastics development boomed in the 1930s and 1940s. However, at the time, the population was not aware of the grave danger that plastics pose to the environment and our communities. When plastics are left outside, they do not biodegrade like organic materials. Ultraviolet radiation from the Sun's rays and other factors like wind and water help break down the plastic, but it never fully degrades. Instead, the plastics become microplastics, which are pieces of plastic smaller than 5 millimeters. After almost a century of plastics use, microplastics are everywhere– a comprehensive study completed last year found that 99% of seafood items sampled contained microplastics. Scientists predict that there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050, and, at our current pace, those predictions show no sign of changing in the near future. Unfortunately, microplastics are so deeply ingrained into our society that they are almost impossible to remove, and oil companies continue to lobby against any sort of restrictions due to their connection with the plastics industry. Major sources of microplastics include synthetic clothing like polyester and nylon, which release microplastics when washed; car tires, which degrade as they are used; fragmentation of larger plastic debris, like packaging; and the cosmetics industry, which often uses plastic microbeads in scrubs and soaps, particularly exfoliating ones. Even common kitchen items like Ziploc bags can release billions of plastic particles into food when heated, and opening and closing the bags also releases large amounts of plastic into the food items inside. A 2018 study discovered that 93% of bottled water samples contained microplastics, and a further 2024 study found an average of 240,000 plastic particles in every bottle sampled. To prevent further microplastics contamination of the environment, every person can make a difference. Avoid purchasing clothing with synthetic fibers like polyester, nylon, acrylic, or spandex, drinking or eating from single-use plastics, buying cosmetic items with plastics, or purchasing other plastics items for households that will experience everyday use. Even soaps can release chemicals into the ocean that can harm marine life, so looking for eco-friendly options is a simple way to lower your environmental footprint. However, scientists have found a tree that could filter out microplastics, offering a possible solution to the world's microplastics crisis. Using a salt extract from the seeds of the moringa tree, scientists were able to remove more than 98% of microplastics in water, trapping it inside the compound. This far surpasses any other previously-discovered alternative, and is much more environmentally-friendly. Moringa, known as the world's "miracle tree," has been used for millennia for this purpose– historians believe that even the Ancient Egyptians used it to sterilize water. Nevertheless, it also provides countless other benefits. The moringa tree grows at a rapid pace, and it requires minimal water and care. Meanwhile, its leaves, seeds, and pods can boost heart health, reduce blood sugar, combat malnutrition, and provide high levels of protein, antioxidants, amino acids, calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C. These leaves are also used for various medicinal purposes, helping treat all sorts of conditions, from diarrhea to infections. So, could moringa be the key to solving the world's microplastics crisis? We'll have to wait and watch. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The Earth does not belong to us, we belong to the Earth. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): The best investment with the least risk and the greatest dividend is giving. (John Templeton) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Orthography (noun, or-THAH-gruh-fee) - Orthography refers to the way in which the words of a language are spelled, or to the art of writing words with the proper letters according to standard usage. In a Sentence: As the winner of several spelling bees, she impressed her teachers with her exceptional grasp of orthography. Image credit to NOAA

Apple has announced a new CEO, John Ternus, who will take over for current CEO Tim Cook as he steps down into the role of Executive Chairman in September. Apple, a massive technology company known for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, was founded by Steve Jobs in 1976, along with co-founder Steve Wozniak. The two are largely responsible for the microcomputer revolution of the late 20th century, which saw the arrival of the first personal computer, and Steve Jobs later took over as the CEO of the company. Wozniak felt that the company was headed in the wrong direction and eventually left the company in 1985, leaving it to Steve Jobs. Jobs built up the company with his incredible ideas and unique leadership style, leading to the introduction of the iPod in 2001, the iPhone in 2007, and the iPad in 2010. In August 2011, COO Tim Cook took over as CEO of Apple as Steve Jobs struggled with pancreatic cancer, and the co-founder passed away later that year. However, Tim Cook took the company to new heights. After guiding the company forward for more than 15 years, Apple's market capitalization now stands at over $4 trillion, up from $350 billion when Cook took over. Employees described Cook as calm and disciplined, focusing on slow growth and financial stability rather than continuing Steve Jobs' product-centered approach. He also transformed Apple's supply chain, manufacturing, and other backend systems, increasing efficiency and profit margins while growing products like the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, App Store, Apple TV, AirPods, and recently, the Apple Vision Pro. Now, Tim Cook has confirmed that he will be stepping down into the role of Executive Chairman on September 1, where he will work to manage the board. Meanwhile, John Ternus, Apple's current Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, will take over as CEO. Ternus has been with the company since 2001 – Cook claims he has been "instrumental" in the design of Apple's products – and has overseen the development of almost every hardware product released by Apple in recent years. Many believe Ternus may take a more product-oriented approach to his leadership, similar to Steve Jobs, due to his extensive engineering experience at Apple. He will also need to face some of Apple's upcoming challenges, like their relatively slow adoption of artificial intelligence when compared to other Big Tech companies, but he will be taking over at a time when the company is booming. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Without saliva, humans are unable to taste food. This is because saliva breaks up food particles and dissolves them so that the receptors on your taste buds are stimulated, creating taste– without this effect, humans would taste little to nothing when eating. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Sometimes there’s not a better way. Sometimes there’s only the hard way. (Mary Pearson) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Indoctrinate (verb, in-DAHK-truh-nayt) - To indoctrinate someone is to teach them to fully accept the ideas, opinions, and beliefs of a particular group while categorically rejecting other ideas, opinions, and beliefs. In a Sentence: The video series attempts to indoctrinate younger audiences with ahistorical and unscientific ideas. Image credit to Apple Insider